Embers of the Sun
by TheShyOrator
Summary: Bella Swan, the new student at Forks High, is ready to graduate. She was prepared for a boring year and just wanted to make a couple of friends. Why are there mutant Wolverines running around the woods of La Push? And why do all the handsome men she meets look at her with such unbridled horror? An imprinting AU where Bella moves to Forks a year later than in canon. Bella/Paul.
1. Welcome to Forks

**Chapter 1** \- Welcome to Forks

 **A/N:** Imprinting is still a thing in this AU, BUT I've developed my take on it for this story. If you're interested in knowing more about my feelings on Imprinting, you can read it on my Tumblr about page (forksofwisdom).

I've taken the liberty of changing the ages of some of the characters. Bella will be 19 and a senior when she moves to Forks, so only Edward and Alice are still in high school. She arrives a year later than in canon. Paul and Jared will be the same age as Bella. Sam and Emily will both be aged somewhere between 25-30 (like their actors).

 **Chapter summary:** Bella's move to Forks.

* * *

Bella closed her book with a sigh of relief as the seatbelt sign flickered on. The plane would be landing soon, and she couldn't wait to get her blood moving again. She'd passed the time reading, but the story wasn't her usual cup of tea, preferring Jane Austen to all else. The Collector by James Fowle, handed to her at the airport by a crying Renée, was not a Victorian romance. Each page Bella read aggravated her to the point where she'd been tempted to fling the book into business class. Any romantic notion she might have had about such all-consuming and obsessive love — Romeo and Juliet hadn't left her hand during her tween years, cut her some slack — was out the window now.

Her mother had been going through one of her phases when she'd purchased it, having fancied herself to be a lepidopterist after she'd bought a collection pinned butterflies in an antique store. She hadn't checked the back of the novel to see what it was actually about, having thought it to be a guide to butterfly collecting. Bella remembered her excited gasp when her mother realized the book was actually about a deranged stalker instead. Another phase bloomed, and Renée now bought every serial killer study and documentary she could get her hands on, forgetting about her beloved butterflies. She'd put her butterfly collection on display in the hallway and Bella could admit that they were beautiful in a morbid sort of way. They unnerved her a little. It seemed a waste; their colorful wings were much more appealing when they were alive and fluttering from flower to flower. Not pinned down and spread in death to an old frame.

A stewardess asked her to put up her tray table, and Bella shoved the book into her rucksack and kicked it under the seat in front of her. She put the small cactus her mother had given her as a memento in her lap, wondering if Renée had forgotten that she'd inherited her green thumbs, which were nonexistent, and that the climate in Forks would be the kiss of death for the plant if Bella weren't careful.

Her stomach plummeted as the plane dipped and she closed her eyes and took deep calming breaths through her nose. She wasn't fond of flying, preferring to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

They landed in Port Angeles's small airport with little fanfare.

Bella spent a good minute hauling her large suitcase off the conveyor belt in the baggage claim. Renée had insisted on helping her pack, but she'd forgotten how cold it was up North and Bella wasted a good hour putting all her shorts and tank tops back into her closet in Phoenix. While she would miss Arizona, its warmth and the anonymity that came with living in a metropolis, she had to keep an open mind about Forks. For her Charlie's sake. She knew she'd hurt her father immensely by refusing to visit him for the last four years, asking that he travel all the way down to California instead to see her during his short summer vacation.

She wondered if he even wanted to have her in his home.

Nerves bubbled up to the surface as she walked through the arrival gates. She hadn't seen him for so long, still riddled with guilt that the main reason she was moving to him was that she didn't want to impose on Renée and Phil anymore. They were newly wedded, and Bella couldn't count how many times she'd walked in on them in various compromising positions. She hadn't hesitated to bring up Fork's when they decided to move to Florida with Phil's baseball career. Bella was relieved when they agreed to her plan. A few years ago, she might have felt resentful, but she'd matured enough to see their genuine wish for her happiness and wellbeing.

She would finish her last year in high school in Forks, and she would reconnect with Charlie. She owed it to the both of them. A tremulous excitement filled her, warring with her nerves. This would be the first time she lived with him since infancy. It'll be ok. They had time — she would have the rest of the summer to settle down and reacquaint herself with him until school started. In two weeks.

Bella shuddered and pushed through to the greeting area.

"Bells!" Her father called when he caught sight of her. He was wearing his uniform and Bella could see that he had a few more crows feet since she'd last seen him. He cautiously opened his arms, seeming ready for rejection. It broke Bella's heart, and she hastened to him, feeling genuine happiness as she was swept up into his arms. "It's good to see you, kiddo!"

"Dad!" She returned his embrace, overwhelmed by his joy at seeing her. Prolonged absence from him had her doubting his affections for her. She'd imagined an awkward greeting and a quiet trip home in his police vehicle.

"How are you? Was the trip okay?" he asked, pulling away to study her with warm eyes.

"Yeah, I'm a bit sore from sitting for so long, but otherwise it was fine," Bella said, shoulders hunching in an awkward shrug, and he clapped her on the back.

"Well, you better stretch your legs now because it's a long ride home," he said, taking her suitcase from her hand and waved away her protests. "I got a surprise for you when we get home."

"Really? You didn't need to get me anything, dad," Bella said in dismay but switched gears when she saw the stubborn set of Charlie's jaw. "Really, getting to live rent free is enough for me," she joked and was pleased when he spluttered. If Bella had known, she would have gotten him something in return. Regardless, she should have at least gotten him a thank-you gift for taking her in! It seemed ungrateful of her.

"Rent free? Oh, heck, Bells. Let an old man spoil his daughter once in a while. I haven't seen you in so long, and I promise that you'll need it while you're staying here," he said gruffly, not meeting her eyes as they walked out of the airport.

"As long as you give me your word that you won't get me anything else I'm happy," Bella said grudgingly.

"You haven't changed," Charlie said with a small amount of relief and Bella rolled her eyes. She'd never liked it when people made a fuss about her, except when it was Christmas or her birthday.

"I've changed plenty," she protested.

"Yeah, your hair has gotten longer," he observed, and Bella caught the wistful note in his tone. She could remember the times she'd sat on a stool while her father trimmed her hair with a pair of shears, both humming to the tunes of the Beatles in his kitchen. It had been their thing. Her heart warmed at the memory, and she gave him a small smile.

"Well, I didn't have my personal barber to cut it," she said teasingly, and Charlie brightened. They pulled out of the airport and made it onto the highway in the direction of Forks.

"Do you want me to give you a trim when we get home?" he asked after a moment of silence. He'd hesitated in bringing it up like he feared rejection and Bella was quick to reassure him.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she said quietly, staring out of the front window to avoid Charlie's eyes. They'd never broached the subject of Bella's distance, but this felt like a small olive branch between the both of them. She was here now.

"Good, 'cause no daughter of mine will be seen with split ends!" he said with mock grimness, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, and Bella burst into laughter. She'd missed him.

He turned on the radio when they made it onto the highway, the silence becoming strained, and a wave of nostalgia rushed over her when his old mixtape of classical rock started playing. Charlie hadn't changed either, keeping the same collection of CDs in his glove compartment. Bella took a small amount of comfort from it as he tapped his steering-wheel and hummed to the tune.

There was an overwhelming array of green and gray that sped past their windshield, and Bella huddled deeper into her coat. She didn't miss the cold and the wet weather of Washington, but it had been a long time since she'd seen a forest or the sea. She wondered if Charlie visited La Push anymore, remembering the times they'd spent on First Beach, or if he still fished with Billy Black and Harry Clearwater.

Her question was answered when they drove up to Charlie's house, now her home as well, and saw two big pickup trucks in the driveway. Billy's son, Jacob, was helping his father out into his wheelchair when Charlie greeted them cheerfully.

"What brings you here boys?"

"Sue sent us over with some more of Harry's fish fry, told us to put it in your freezer," Billy answered, tossing a bag of wrapped fish to Charlie, who fumbled to catch it.

"You could have handed it to me," Charlie said wryly as he closed the distance between them to clasp Billy's hand in greeting. Billy laughed and thumped him on the back. Charlie held up the bag. "Tell her thanks. I was all out."

Bella swallowed her nervousness as she stepped out of the car and waved at them in greeting. She'd learned through trial and error that 'fake it until you make it' was the best approach to social interactions. She hadn't seen them in three years, and Jacob had grown like a weed since then, now almost as tall as Charlie. The times for making mud-cakes had long since passed. A broad smile split across his face when he caught sight of her.

"Bella!" He nearly lifted her off the ground in his excitement, and Bella laughed, overwhelmed by his enthusiastic greeting. His childhood crush on her hadn't ebbed it seemed, and she smiled at him awkwardly, uncertain how she should reciprocate without encouraging his affections.

"Let the girl breathe, Jacob," Billy scolded and nudged him out of the way to give his own greeting, shaking Bella's hand firmly. "My how you've grown! You hardly reached my waist the last time I say you."

"She was thirteen. Besides, my daughter was never that short, Billy," Charlie said with wry amusement as Bella gave a surprised laugh. She'd forgotten how Charlie's brand of dry humor made his jokes seem accidental. It helped her loosened up as the two men bantered good-naturedly. It'd been a long time since she'd seen her father look so relaxed, having only communicated with him through brief phone calls. Both of them were reticent by nature, though Bella wanted to make more of an effort to connect with him.

"Charlie hasn't shut up about you Bella, ever since you told him you were coming here," Billy teased.

"Oh, come on. There's no need to exaggerate," Charlie said and turned away from them with a light blush. "Keep it up, and I'll slip you into the mud."

"Not if I ram you in the ankles first," Billy warned, and Charlie jumped back when he pretended to make good on his threat. Bella couldn't believe that two adult men, one of them being the Chief of Police, were fooling around in the middle of a street like a pair of rowdy school-boys.

"Are they always like this?"

"Unfortunately. Come on, you're gonna love this, Bella," Jacob said and grabbed her hand to lead her over to the behemoth truck resting beside the one the Blacks had arrived in. He patted it. "Charlie got you a homecoming present."

 _No way!_ Bella felt a burst of excitement when she realized that this must be Charlie's surprise. "Dad?" she called him over, hardly believing that he'd gotten her a car. She forgot her dismay at Jacob's casual touch when she saw Charlie's nod. "You got me a car? I can't believe you!" She rushed over to the driver's seat and pulled open the heavy door to climb inside.

"Yep, I just bought it off of Billy," Charlie said, and Jacob hopped up and hung onto the side to watch her admire the console and test the steering wheel. Then she noticed that something was missing.

"Um, where's the gear stick?" she asked when she didn't find it sticking out of the floor like she was used to.

"Oh, it's a 'three on the tree,'" Jacob explained and leaned over her to point out the shift which was positioned behind the steering wheel.

"I've never driven a car like this," Bella admitted, flummoxed at the design. She'd been prepared to drive a manual car, used to her mother's battered old Toyota back home.

"It's old, a 1953 Chevy, but Jacob here fixed it up. I thought you'd rather drive yourself to school instead of me dropping you off in my police car," Charlie said with a grin and Bella returned it with apprehension. She was touched by his thoughtfulness because she'd dreaded to deal with the attention that came with having the Chief of Police as her chauffeur. Considering the mortification of being nineteen-years-old opposed to eighteen and still in high school, the sentiment was appreciated.

"Yeah, it should run smoothly but don't hesitate to call me if something comes up," Jacob said, his face glowing with pride. "I've been driving one like this for years so I can teach you how to drive it."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that since you only got your permit back in January," Charlie said, and Jacob glanced at the shining badge on his chest sheepishly.

"I'll remember that," Bella said, and privately wondered if she could teach herself automobile repairs. It was a handy skill to have. Jacob's obvious crush was making her a little uncomfortable, seeing as she'd always thought of him as the younger brother she'd never had.

"I don't have a shift so why don't we go for a test drive tomorrow," Charlie offered.

"Yeah, why don't you come to the Rez," Jacob said, turning to her with the full force of his smile. "It'll be like old times!"

"Why not," Bella agreed, infected by their combined enthusiasm. She chided herself for making plans to avoid him and made herself promise to treat Jacob with fairness. He was the only person her age she knew and had always been welcoming during her short visits.

"Good, good," Billy said and clapped his son on the back. "We need to get going, son. Sue needs that garden hose, and I'm not ready to face her wrath if we keep her waiting any longer."

"Bye, Bella," Jacob said with reluctance but took care of his father's wheelchair after Billy hefted himself into their truck.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Charlie called as he carried Bella's suitcase into the house. Bella stood awkwardly as she waited for the Black's to leave and smiled weakly when Billy rolled down his window.

"Charlie missed you, Bella," he said, and she blushed as they pulled out of the drive.

Bella retrieved her cactus from Charlie's car and made her way inside. Nothing had really changed. Charlie's armchair was still in front of the TV inside the living room, the walls painted a light blue, and the old ship in the bottle was even mounted above the fireplace.

Bella stopped to examine the pictures taken throughout the years of them together. The sight of her parents holding her as a babe and Renée's dim eyes and tired smile while Charlie looked happier than Bella had ever seen him sent a jolt through her and she moved on. The one hanging at the base of the stairs showed a much lighter memory; Charlie giving a six-year-old Bella a piggyback ride while she beamed with a gap-toothed smile. Above it was a picture of a pre-teen Bella smiling awkwardly at the camera with Jacob's arm around her hunched shoulders, and sharing its frame was a picture of her and Charlie eating off of plastic plates on a park bench. They were both laughing at something, and Bella remembered that Billy had taken the photo during her last visit when they'd had a picnic in La Push.

"I left everything like it was the last time you were here," Charlie said when Bella found him in her room. He scratched the back of his neck and gestured around. "You're free to change it as much as you like."

"Thanks, dad." She set her cactus on the windowsill, hoping the heat from the radiator and the sliver of sunlight would be enough to keep it alive.

"I cleared some shelves in the bathroom as well," he continued. Bella nodded, and they shared a moment of strained silence, both trying to figure out what to say. Charlie finally cleared his throat. "I'll let you get settled in. Call if you need anything."

Bella nodded, grateful that he didn't intend to hover and set to unpacking. She hefted her suitcase onto her bed and frowned when her nose was assaulted by the sickly sweet smell of strawberries and cheap sunscreen. It was not a pleasant combination. Bella pulled aside the first article of her clothing and cursed when she saw the white goopy mess.

"Ugh!" The tap on the bottle of sunscreen Renée must have snuck into her bag had cracked, and the air pressure had caused her supply of shampoo to burst. Bella threw down her shirt. "Dad, we got a bomb alert!"

"What!" Charlie shouted. Bella poked her head out of her room when she heard him thunder up the stairs.

"Not like that! My shampoo exploded," she exclaimed.

He slumped against the rail with a sigh and put a hand to his chest as he tried to calm his heart. "Honey, you cannot do that to me. Someone can easily slip in who knows what into your bag in an airport."

"Sorry," she grimaced, holding up a t-shirt that smelled overwhelmingly of strawberries. "Think my whole suitcase can fit inside your washing machine?"

Thankfully her white cotton shirt escaped unscathed, but the same could not be said for her jeans. Charlie helped her load everything into the machine and showed her how to turn it on.

"Why don't you call your mom to let her know how your trip went and then we'll eat dinner," he asked. The sun had already set, but Bella knew her mother would be waiting to hear from her. Arizona was only one hour ahead of Washington, but Renée and Phil had a flight to Jacksonville early next morning. Bella didn't have a cell phone, but Charlie kept a cordless landline, so she sat on her bed and listened to the dial tone.

"Bella, it that you, honey?" her mother's voice crackled through when she picked up.

"Hey, mom."

"How was the trip? Did you have any trouble during your layover in Seattle? Did Charlie come to pick you up?" Renée asked, sounding doubtful when she mentioned her ex-husband.

"Yes, yes. Everything went well. Charlie was waiting for me in Port Angeles, just like we'd discussed," Bella reminded her. She wondered if other divorced parents were as occupied with being the better parent like Renée. "Did you put sunscreen in my bag?"

"I'm not sure. Why? Do you need it?" Renée asked distractedly.

"No, there was a tube in my suitcase, and it burst."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, honey!" Renée exclaimed. "I just thought that you might need it, you know if you decided to go to the beach - the one in La Push. You know that you can still get a sunburn even if it's cloudy."

"No, it's fine, mom." Bella didn't argue, having heard her mother's lectures on the importance of protecting one's skin from UV exposure to prevent cancer many times before. She changed the subject. "How's the packing going?"

"Oh, Phil's loading the moving truck as we speak. He's been a godsend these past few days. You know how awful I am at packing," she laughed, successfully diverted.

"Yeah." Bella was thankful she hadn't inherited her mother's hoarding tendencies. They spoke for a moment.

"I can hear Phil calling. It was nice hearing from you, sweetie." Renée said abruptly. "Call me if you need anything!"

"Bye, mom," Bella said and sighed when she was met with the dial tone. She rolled out of bed and went to join her father.

Charlie was standing by the stove, poking the boiling potatoes with a fork to see if they were ready while two portions of Harry's fish heated in a pan.

"Can you put the rest of this is the freezer?" He gestured at the bag Billy had brought which lay on the dining table. She picked it up and felt her brain stall when she saw the contents of his freezer. It was packed with frozen pre-cooked meals. With a huff, Bella put the fish in and turned to Charlie, hands on her hips.

"How are you still alive, dad?"

Charlie barked out a surprised laugh, looking away sheepishly. "I usually eat at the diner."

"Not while I live here," Bella muttered as she lay the table. Charlie rolled a couple of potatoes onto their plates and divided the fish into two portions. They sat down and ate in companionable silence.

"I'm going grocery shopping as soon as possible. I can't have you dying of scurvy on my watch," Bella said after she swallowed the last of her dinner.

"Take as much money as you need from the jar," Charlie said good-naturedly, sitting back in his chair and pushing his empty plate away.

"Thanks, dad." Bella took their empty plates to the sink. Charlie had gotten a dishwasher, and she started to clean up.

She was washing the frying pan when Charlie drew her attention by pulling out a chair and holding up his old pair of shears. "We're still doing this aren't we?"

"Yeah, just let me go and wash my hair," Bella said. Charlie took the pan from her hands to dry it with a dish towel. She took a quick shower and used the remnant of her strawberry shampoo. Bella made a mental note to restock soon, or else she'd have to use Charlie's scentless stuff.

She came downstairs, having dressed in a sweatshirt and a ratty pair of gym shorts she found in her old wardrobe. She handed Charlie her hairbrush as she dried her hair with a towel so she wouldn't drip water everywhere. Neither of them spoke as Charlie trimmed a good two inches of her hair. The snips of the scissors relaxed Bella to the point where she started to doze off. The silence was only interrupted by the soft croon of the radio and the occasional gurgle of the dishwasher.

She yawned and startled when Charlie tapped her on the head. She was exhausted. He took the towel from her shoulders so she could stand up.

"Thanks, dad," Bella said and rubbed the bleariness from her eyes with another jaw-breaking yawn.

"I'll take care of the cleanup, Bells. You should get some rest," Charlie murmured, and Bella nodded in agreement. She stumbled up to the bathroom and brushed her teeth sluggishly, before melting into the mattress her new - old - bed. The exertion of her travels made itself known, and she drifted off to the soft sound of the game Charlie was watching in the living room.

She was out like a light in a matter of minutes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Come say hi to me on Tumblr at forksofwisdom!

 **Next chapter:** The Swan family visit La Push!


	2. Monsters in La Push

**Chapter 2** \- Monsters of La Push

 **Chapter summary:** The Swan family visits La Push, and Bella makes a weird discovery.

* * *

"Think you're warm enough, Bells?" Charlie asked, arching a brow at her choice of clothing. They were sitting outside in Bella's truck, and he was about to show her how to drive it. She was swaddled in his old down jacket, which she'd insisted on wearing while her coat dried. He pointed at the sky, "the sun is even out today."

"It was 90 degrees when I left Phoenix, dad," Bella grumbled and gestured emphatically at the white mist that trickled out of her mouth as she spoke.

"Suit yourself." Charlie shrugged and started the car. It was loud, and Bella wondered why she'd thought that this rusty orange beast could be remotely inconspicuous.

She still loved it.

"Alright, you need to double pump the clutch to shift the gears. To put it in reverse, you pull it towards you - like this - and up." Charlie demonstrated and looked over at Bella to see if she was listening.

"Yes," she said with a nod, straightening to attention.

"First gear, pull it towards you and down. Second gear, just let it fall into neutral and then push it straight up. Third gear, same but push it down," Charlie continued. Bella tried to memorize everything but blinked when he asked her if she was ready to change seats.

"Can you drive for now? I want to see how you do it." She wasn't prepared to make a fool of herself in front of their neighbors. Word traveled fast in small towns, and Bella did not want to back into Mrs. Geller's prized begonias and be known as the Chief's incompetent daughter. Better to do it someplace where nobody would recognize them, which was across county borders in Fork's case.

"You can drive us home," Charlie agreed and put the truck in reverse. They pulled out of the drive and were on their way. It was a twenty-minute drive to La Push, and Bella cranked up the heater when her fingers turned numb, ignoring Charlies mumbled protest of it not being that cold.

They drove onto the highway that ran through Forks, past the Tillicum Park, and over the Calawah River before they turned onto the La Push Road. Bella eyed the modern lodges that framed the road. They all had gravel driveways and manicured lawns that marked the perimeter to the unkempt forest.

Most of the traffic lay towards Forks and soon they were on a quiet road once they were past the gas station. Driving along the endless stretch of country road with her dad felt soothing. Bella swore she saw a herd of elks at one point, but they vanished into the trees when they heard the thundering of their truck. They passed small resorts and crossed the Bogachiel River, to be greeted by the sign that welcomed them into La Push. Bella caught a glimpse of the sea through the trees. Charlie knew the way, and Bella was bummed when he turned off the main road before they could see the First Beach. She hadn't seen it in years. They reached the red house of the Black's residence, and Charlie parked next to Billy's truck.

"Hey, Charlie, Bella," Billy said when he opened the door after Charlie knocked. He backed out of the doorway. "Come on in."

Bella wiped her shoes on the welcoming mat. She could hear the sound of sports commentary coming from somewhere inside the house.

"You watching the game?" Charlie asked, hanging his jacket up and rubbing his hands together eagerly.

"You know it," Billy laughed and beckoned them to the living room. Baseball was playing on the screen, but Bella didn't recognize any of the teams, which wasn't surprising considering that she didn't even know the rules of the game. Charlie had tried to explain them to her on multiple occasions, but Bella forgot them straight away.

"What's the score?" Charlie asked, accepting the can of beer Billy handed him and took a seat on the couch. Bella looked around and noticed that Jacob wasn't there. She'd preferred talking to him than suffer through an entire baseball game with her dad and Billy.

"Is Jacob out in the garage?" she asked.

"No, the boys came round a while ago, and he ran off with them," Billy said apologetically, and Bella wondered if she would find him outside. She decided that she would walk to the First Beach and look for the tide pools Jacob had shown her when they were kids.

"Uhm, is it okay if I go for a walk?"

"Sure, thing Bells," Charlie said absently, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Just don't wander off too far. There are wolves in these parts of the woods," Billy said with a strange smile like he was sharing a private joke. Bella wondered what could be funny about there being wolves in the woods.

"I'll stick to the trail," she reassured them.

Bella walked down a trail in the woods that started by the side of Billy's yard. She took extra care in watching where she tread, knowing that with her luck she would earn herself a trip to the hospital by tripping over a root and bashing her head on a rock. Luckily, that didn't happen, but she did step on a twig and somehow managed to trip when her other foot got trapped underneath it.

"What the hell," Bella breathed.

She'd fallen in a crouched position, her knees sank into the mud as her hand gripped dead pine needles. Next to her hand was a giant footprint. At first, she'd thought it was a bear's due to its size, but it was distinctly canine. It was much too large to be a wolf. When she stood up and compared it to her own footprint, she saw that it was even bigger than her boots. _No freaking way!_ There were no animals that large in Washington and Bella decided that it must be some prank — like those fake Bigfoot tracks.

Still, Bella wasn't going to risk the chance of meeting a mutant Wolverine and backtracked to walk beside the road her and Charlie had driven on their way to Billy's. She was glad she'd worn a hoodie underneath Charlie's coat because the wind picked up on the beach. Watching the ebb and flow of the sea hitting the sandy beach was soothing, and Bella took a deep breath to calm her nerves, still feeling spooked about the strange animal tracks.

She was tempted to take a seat on one of the large driftwoods that were scattered around the shore, but they were still wet from yesterday's rain. Instead, she tracked along the side of the beach, nodding to a family sitting around a bonfire as she passed. She didn't have a direction in mind and paused to watch the foamy waves eat the footprints she'd left in the sand in slow sessions.

The faint laughter traveled with the wind and Bella looked up at the cliffs to see three men egg each other to jump over the edge. They were only wearing shorts and Bella shivered in disbelief. She was still cold despite wearing three layers and thick winter boots! The water must be freezing as well.

"Go on!" one of the yelled but Bella barely heard him over the cresting waves. The guy the other two had been pushing took off at a sudden run and vaulted himself off the cliff with a yip. Bella's heart was in her throat, and she almost took off at a run into the sea, convinced that he was about to break his skull. His laughter mixed in with his scream of jubilation as he somersaulted in mid-air as he plummeted. He hardly made a splash when he hit the water.

The other two cheered, jumping around with their hands in the air. Bella sighed with relief. Now that the threat of terror was over, she could admit that it looked kind of fun. She wondered if Jacob would ever jump with her.

"Hi!" Someone whispered in her ear and pinched her waist from behind. Bella jumped in fright with an ear-splitting scream that echoed across the bay, and she fell backward onto the sand. Her attacker, who she now recognized, roared with laughter.

"Jacob Black, you almost gave me a heart attack!" she complained, thrusting her hands to her chest. She heard laughter coming from behind them and looked over her shoulder to see two boys laughing at her. They were Jacob's age and had the same long silken hair.

"See ya, Jake," they called from the sidewalk, waving to him as they left.

"Bye, guys!" Jacob called before turning back to Bella. "Sorry, Bells. I didn't think you'd be that scared," he laughed, completely unrepentant as he pulled her up. "You sure have a good pair of lungs on you. I'm surprised I didn't go deaf with your hollering!"

"You're such an asshole!" Bella cried as Jacob stuck his finger in his ear and gave it a shake. She pushed him, and he pretended to stumble, holding onto his chest as Bella had done before. She dusted the sand off her jeans and pretended to ignore him, face heating from embarrassment at having made a fool of herself in front of his friends.

Jacob was still laughing at her, and she looked away. It hadn't been that funny. At least that's what her heart insisted — it was beating wildly in her chest, but Bella knew that it was those giant paw prints putting her on edge. She looked up at the cliffs and was disappointed to see that there was only one guy left. The other must have already jumped, and she'd missed it. It didn't take her long to spot the two in the sea.

The boy who'd jumped first had just splashed the other in the face and was now making a break for it. He was the stronger swimmer and the second one spat water out of his mouth, shouting something as he gave chase. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she was sure it wasn't pretty. Bella smiled when the faster one made it onto dry land and immediately sprinted off towards the cliffs. The other wasn't far behind, but he'd made the mistake of swimming straight to shore and had a much farther distance to run.

He looked their way, and Bella flushed when her eyes accidentally made contact with him. He was handsome with broad-shouldered and tanned skin, his wet hair was sticking up wildly as he ran his hands through it. Bella was amazed to see that he wasn't shivering in the cold.

He froze when their eyes met, the smile slipping off his face, and Bella was taken aback when his eyes widened in unmistakable horror. Her stomach plummeted with humiliation at having been caught staring. She seemed to have provoked him in some way, but he was too far away to make out his exact expression. Bella couldn't tear her eyes from his as adrenaline coursed through her veins, urging her to take action but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what she was supposed to do.

It was in equal parts terrifying and intriguing.

It wasn't until an even taller man swam up to the beach and joined him, that she could look away. The man put his hand on his shoulder and lent down to speak urgently in his ear, worry etched across his face as he spared Bella a glance. The younger man tried to shove the hand away, but the other turned him around and grabbed him by the shoulders.

Curiosity was quickly taking over now that she was free from whatever trance that had trapped her. The young man was trembling like a leaf, and Bella wondered if she should run over and offer them help. She darted a glance to Jacob and saw that he was watching them as well, though his smile was gone.

"Who are they?" she asked him. The wind nearly drowned her words, and she thought he hadn't heard her for a moment.

"Paul Lahote," he finally answered with uncharacteristic grimness as they watched on, "and the older one is Sam Uley."

Bella had no way of knowing what Sam had just said, but Paul wrenched out of his hold and barreled past him, heading towards the woods, away from Bella and Jacob. Sam stayed close on his heels, shoving him forwards whenever Paul slowed.

"They're nothing but trouble." Jacob turned to her and said, "I was never close to Paul, but he's changed after he started hanging out with Sam and Jared." Jared must have been the guy who jumped off the cliff first.

"Changed how?" Bella frowned. They hadn't seemed like bad people. Strange, yes, but not enough to warrant the scorn in Jacobs' voice.

"Paul was always getting into fights when we were kids after his parents divorced, but now he's just downright mean." Jacob rubbed his neck, but Bella couldn't help but feel a sea of empathy for the guy. Her parents had an ugly divorce, and it had shaped her, especially affecting her confidence, while growing up. Jacob continued when she didn't look convinced. "Drugs, most likely."

"That's so sad," Bella murmured after a moment of silence. There had been a girl in her year back in Phoenix who'd died of an overdose last year. Bella hadn't been close her, but the shock at hearing about her passing had felt like a sucker-punch to the gut. It was the first funeral she'd ever been too, having gone with her classmates to show their respect. It seemed that drug abuse was present wherever she went, even in the sleepy Clallam County. "Isn't there anything that can be done?"

"Nah, best to not think about it. It's Paul's choice after all," Jacob dismissed. How he could say something so heartless was beyond Bella, but she didn't want to waste her time by arguing with him. Besides, Charlie was a much more reliable source of information if it really was drugs.

"Wanna come with me to the Clearwater's? Sue said she had a casserole for dad," Jacob asked hopefully at Bella's continued silence, and she felt kind of bad. He was just a kid, after all, she shouldn't expect him to have more tact when it came to discussions like drugs and the tragedy they wrought.

"Yeah, I'll come," she sighed. They walked along the gravel road along the side of the bank and past the harbor to a small neighborhood that sat at the edge of the woods.

The Clearwater house was quaint, built in the same style as the Black residence. Its timber walls were a dark brown and their front lawn was neatly kept. Jacob hopped up onto their porch and knocked on the door. Bella stayed on the steps, sudden shyness holding her back. She hadn't seen Sue in years, and they'd never been close. They'd only met through Charlie's friendship with her husband, Harry.

The door opened to Sue's familiar face, her warm eyes lighting up and a smile crossing her face at the sight of them. Her hair was cut short and the crow's feet by her eyes told a long history of smiling and laughter.

"Jacob, I was wondering when you'd be here. Oh, and I see you've brought Bella with you! Come in, come in." She opened the door and ushered them in. "Charlie told me you'd be coming to live with him."

"Hi, Sue," Bella smiled. It seemed that Charlie had told everyone and their grandmother of her coming to live with him.

"We're here for the casserole, Sue," Jacob cut in, but Sue brushed past him, leading them to the kitchen. A young woman sat at the table, nursing a mug of coffee. She looked up with a frown at their entrance but said nothing. Bella recognized Sue's eyes and nose in her attractive features. This this must be her daughter.

"Do I look like a drive-through to you, Jacob Black? Sit down. I want to talk to Bella." Sue pulled out a chair and pointed at it in a clear message. "I haven't seen you in years, dear."

"It's nice to see you too, Sue," Bella said and sat down facing Sue's daughter.

"Would you like some tea?" Sue asked her and Bella nodded, afraid to do anything but accept. She placed a kettle and a bowl with an assortment of tea bags in front of her and told her to pick whatever she liked. "You remember my daughter Leah? Seth's with Harry at the moment."

"Yes, I remember her," Bella greeted with a timid smile. Leah grunted and took from her mug, sparing Bella a dismissive glance. She was a little intimidating. Alright, very intimidating. Bella studied Leah covertly as she prepared her cup of tea. There was a lazy sort of confidence in the set of her shoulders that Bella admired and her eyes were stunning, dark like smooth mahogany.

Bella couldn't help but notice that they were bloodshot like Leah had been crying recently. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked in a hushed voice when Sue was busy cutting bread, and any vulnerability in Leah hardened to a flint.

"No," Leah snapped with a look that told her to go fuck herself for having asked. Bella blushed a deep crimson and busied herself with pulling the teabag out of her cup. She took a sip of her drink and winced as she burned her tongue.

Leah's chair screeched when she stood up. Bella was surprised when she didn't storm out as she'd anticipated. Instead, Leah placed her mug gently in the sink and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek before opening the fridge and took out a carton of milk. She plunked it down in front of Bella and left without another word. Bella glanced at Sue and saw that she was hiding a smile. She silently poured some milk into her piping tea, thinking that this day couldn't get any odder.

"How are your sisters?" Bella asked Jacob, searching for a way to cut through the tension. He was slouched in his seat with a definite pout on his lips, and his mug stood empty. He brightened at the question, happy to have her attention again.

"Oh, they're doing great. Rebecca lives in Hawaii with her hubby. He's a surfer — I think — but from what I've heard she's happy; she's a painter like mom was," he grew animated, sitting up in his chair, "Rachel just graduated from college, and she's traveling the world right now with her boyfriend. They're pretty serious about each other. I heard dad tell Sue that he was thinking about proposing soon — he's such a gossip."

"Hush!" Sue slapped him with her dish towel, but she didn't hide her amusement.

"Oh, wow! Congratulations," Bella said. They had never been close, but Rachel and Rebecca were only a year older than her. She could hardly wrap her mind around both of them marrying so soon. Bella didn't have much faith in marriage, but she was happy to hear that they were doing well.

Sue sat down with a mug of her own and turned to Bella with a line of questioning. "So, do you have any plans for the future, Bella? You're a senior now?"

"I was thinking about getting a degree in English literature," Bella answered as truthfully as she could. She hadn't made any definite plans yet, but she'd given it a little thought. "Maybe I'll become a teacher. I don't really know. I just like to read," she finished lamely, feeling like she was talking out of her ass, but Sue smiled kindly.

"That sounds like a fantastic idea."

They stayed over for so long that it was getting dark when Harry and Seth return with Charlie and Billy in tow. Bella was surprised by how fast the time had gone. Sue turned out to be excellent company. She was both kind and stern, keeping the conversation alive with the help of Jacob. Bella had forgotten about her initial reticence when Sue had started recounting all the stupid things Jacob had gotten up to throughout the years. They took great delight in his embarrassment.

"There you are, Bella!" Charlie slapped her on the back, his cheeks appearing a little flushed. "You missed the game."

"Did you drive here?" Bella asked in alarm.

"No, Harry picked us up, said he had dinner."

"Have a seat, Charlie. Dinner is almost ready," Sue said as she stood up to check on the casserole she'd put in the oven.

Dinner with the Clearwater was nice. Even Leah had loosened up a bit, but she didn't say much during the meal. Harry and Billy had taken up Sue's storytelling, and Bella's cheeks were flushed with laughter. Seth didn't seem to mind them sharing his escapades, laughing right along with them. It wasn't until Charlie started to tell them about Bella's misdeeds that she stood up. As much as she wanted to stay, it was getting late, and Charlie had an early shift tomorrow morning.

"Alright, alright, I think you've had enough fun now, dad. We should head on home," she urged, and Charlie stretched to check the time.

"Aw, Bells. You may be right, but I'm in no state to drive us," he warned, getting up unsteadily. He'd had at least four beers with dinner, but Bella had no idea how many he'd had at Billy's.

"I gathered. I'll drive us, but we need to go get the truck."

Harry hadn't tasted a lick of alcohol that evening and was fit to offer them a lift to Billy's. Jacob and Bella sat in the back with Charlie, while Billy played with the radio up front.

"Billy, if you're going to play that darn thing so loud it better be good," Harry complained against the fizzing of white noise as Billy surfed the channels in search of something good.

"Stop!" Charlie shouted when they heard the starting riff of 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. He started riffing to the air guitar, mustache twitching in glee, and Bella placed a hand over her mouth to quell her laughter. He looked absolutely absurd.

"Oh, yeah!" Billy cheered as he turned up the volume. Bella and Jacob were breathless with laughter as their fathers started belting the lyrics at the top of their voice. Their laughter only egged them on, and they became even more ridiculous when they'd lost their inhibitions. Even Harry joined them, stone sober, and he sang like this was his national anthem. Middle-aged men were apparently helpless in the face of an ABBA sing along.

"Take it away, Bella!" Charlie shouted when the chorus started playing. Bella had inherited his singing skills, meaning that she couldn't hold a tune to save her life, but she was having too much fun to deny him. She was embarrassingly off-key, and she almost stopped, but they hadn't stopped singing and were even worse at it than her. Besides, Jacob's laughter drowned them out, and Bella feared that all of La Push could hear them as they rattled down the path to Billy's house.

Sadly the song came to an end as they turned into the driveway. Harry and Jacob helped Billy down while Bella dug the key to her truck from Charlie's pocket.

"See you, you crazy bastard!" Charlie waved as Bella held open the door to the truck for him.

"Come back soon!" Billy hollered after them, and Harry joined in with Charlie's laughter.

It took Bella two tries to start the truck, forgetting to double clutch and all that. Charlie clapped when she finally got it going, and they rode home to the tune of his mumbled melody, 'you are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen, oh yeah!'.

Bella couldn't have been happier.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm on Tumblr at forksofwisdom!

 **Next chapter:** Grocery shenanigans and more Leah lovin'


	3. Hitchhiker's Guide to Friendship

**Chapter 3** \- Hitchhiker's Guide to Friendship

 **A/N:** I wasn't expecting such a positive response from you guys! Each favorite and follow has fueled the fire of motivation underneath my ass, and I want to thank you for all the wonderful reviews you've left me!

A shout-out to Shae Vizla for the spot-on analysis!

To answer one question about my feelings on imprinting: I have a lot of issues with how Meyer decided to portray imprinting in the books. It was essentially glorified brainwashing. Canon imprinting is fundamentally about losing your identity and free will to suit another person's need. My idea of imprinting in this AU is all about the potential between two people, like a nudge from the 'universe' to point out the imprintee to the wolf, like: _"Hey, I guarantee that this person is super cool, go talk to them."_

As for Paul's reaction, keep in mind that the Wolfpack is still shaken up by the events that followed Sam's imprinting on Emily.

 **Chapter summary:** Bella gets a lesson in gravity while grocery shopping, and later picks up an unexpected hitchhiker in La Push.

* * *

The sky was a dreary grey.

Bella sat in the kitchen with a glass of water, feeling heavy-eyed despite having slept like a rock throughout the night. She'd dreamt of sprinting silently through a green forest. It hadn't been an unpleasant dream per se, but the sound of heavy footfall outside her window had roused her. Pale light had greeted her as she struggled between waking and unconsciousness, and prevented her from returning to sleep. Bella wasn't used to having such vivid dreams, much less remembering them after she woke up, so it had taken her a moment to realize that her dream had been void of any sound. There was nothing outside when she looked down into the yard.

Bella was still trying to will the sun to materialize from behind the shroud of clouds when Charlie came down. She welcomed the distraction. He appeared surprised at seeing her awake, and they exchanged quiet 'good mornings'. The bags underneath his eyes were impressive, and he got himself a glass of water and gulped it down like a man dying of thirst. Bella realized that he was nursing a hangover.

"What are you doing up so early?" Charlie asked and had to clear his throat when his voice came out hoarse. He wouldn't meet her eyes, and Bella knew that he was embarrassed, which was understandable but entirely unnecessary since it had been a rare treat to witness him so carefree. Bella had the inkling that it wouldn't happen again. He hadn't harmed her 'delicate sensibilities' and would have told him so if it wasn't more likely to drive him further into his shell.

"I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," Bella answered vaguely instead. There was no need to worry him about the work of her overactive imagination.

"That's too bad," Charlie muttered, and Bella watched with barely contained horror as he poured some oats and water into a bowl — no salt — and put it into the microwave. It cooked until the two-minute mark, and the ensuing 'ding' was jarring. He took it out and stuck a spoon in it. The porridge behaved like wet cement, and the spoon stayed in place.

"How can you eat that?" Bella asked with thinly veiled disgust.

"What? It tastes just fine to me," Charlie said as he got himself another glass of water. "I can make you some if you want."

Bella shook her head, "No, thanks. I'll stick to toast." It got a small smile from him, which she counted it as a victory.

He checked his watch and wolfed down the rest of his breakfast while Bella fixed her meal.

"I'll be home late," Charlie told her as he rinsed his bowl in the sink. He dried his hands on the dishcloth. "Know what you're going to do today?"

"I'm going grocery shopping," Bella answered through a mouthful of toast. She'd originally intended to stay at home and recharge, but there was no way that she would let Charlie do any more cooking while she was here. "You still like beef stroganoff, right?"

"Yeah, it's my favorite," Charlie said, his features softening.

"Dinner will be waiting for you when you come home." Bella smiled down at her plate and Charlie patted her on the back like he wasn't sure what to do with his hands.

"That sounds good. I'll see you tonight, Bells." He grabbed his holster and was out the door.

Bella grimaced and huddled deeper into the coat, already feeling the chill despite not having open the front door yet. She'd stolen Charlie's coat again and had her key in hand, an empty tote bag in her pocket, and a determination not to let the three-on-the-tree gear shift intimidate her. She'd made it home last night with Charlie in no state to offer her helpful advice, and she would do it again. Granted, there hadn't been any cars on the road and luck had been with her when it came to the timing of green lights, but she'd done it nonetheless. With that in mind, Bella squared her shoulder and stalked out the door.

With her seatbelt on and her key in the ignition, Bella only hoped that she wouldn't publicly embarrass herself in the grocery parking lot. News traveled fast around these parts, and it would surely reach La Push in no time.

She wondered if Paul ever bought his groceries in Forks.

Blindsided by her desire to catch another glimpse of him, Bella shook the thought away and turned the key. Her metal beast roared to life, and Bella backed onto the street gingerly. Besides, Paul would probably freak out at the sight of her again.

Her ego was still smarting from that.

Bella turned on her radio to shut her traitorous mind off. She did not need to think about rude boys and giant wolves. She shuddered. Were the Quileutes aware of the beast that could be lurking in their woods? Bella desperately wanted to believe that those footprints had been a prank, but doubt continued to nag at her.

The drive to the shop was short since nearly everything in Forks was a five-minute drive away from her house. The parking lot was blissfully uncrowded, and Bella slid into a spot close to the entrance. She put her truck in park and pulled the handbrake for good measure.

The store was decently sized and had a much better selection than she'd anticipated. Bella was pleasantly surprised when she found everything on her list easily. The only thing she had yet to find was a can of beef broth. It took her a few minutes of searching to track them down, and her stomach sank when she realized that they were on top of the highest shelf.

Cursed with her mother's short genes, Bella went onto the tips of her toes and reached up in a futile effort to grab for it. Her fingers didn't even come close. Looking around, Bella would do anything to avoid having to seek help from a stranger. She may be able to hold her own in a conversation with acquaintances but speaking to strangers when not strictly necessary was too stressful for her to deal with right now.

Fortunately, there was a stepping stool resting a little way away down the aisle, and Bella nudged it in place. The workers must use it while they were stocking the shelves, and if Bella had been a little taller, it would have been the perfect height for her. She had to go on the tips of her toes again, which forced her to lean forwards. Her fingers reached the edge of a can, and she slipped it towards her. It spun in a few circles and Bella cursed. She hitched her shoulder and closed her hand around the accursed can.

Of course, just as she was about to announce her victory, she slipped.

"Watch out!" Slim arms wrapped around Bella's stomach and jerked her to a halt. Heart pounding, Bella took a cautious step down and was helped with her descend. They let her go when she was on safe grounds again. Bella turned around.

"I'm so sorry for grabbing you like that! I just saw you slip and reacted." Her savior was a girl who appeared to be her age. She had light brown hair with streaks of honey, and a pair of glasses framed gentle brown eyes.

"No, it's fine." Bella was taken by surprise, clutching the can to her chest. "You have good reflexes."

"Are you new around here? I'm sorry," the girl blurted out, "it's just you look my age, and I haven't seen you around the school — it's a small town." The poor girl looked increasingly embarrassed as she rambled. Bella knew the feeling and smiled when she paused to take a breath before introducing herself, "I'm Angela Weber by the way."

"Hi, Angela. You're right: I'm new," Bella said and stuck her hand out for her to shake. Angela took it shyly. "I'm Bella Swan."

"The Police Chief's daughter?" Angela asked. It didn't feel like she was prying in the way those eager for new town gossip did, not nearly as intense in her questioning.

"That's me," Bella said and held up her can awkwardly. "Thank you for catching me - this was the last thing on my list."

"Think nothing of it! I'm just glad you didn't get hurt," Angela smiled. "Will you be coming to school? Forks High that is."

"Yeah, I'm a senior." Bella was proud of how well she was handling the conversation. Angela seemed like a sweet girl, and Bella hoped that she was in her year.

"Me too! Maybe we'll have some classes together, if not, we could sit together for lunch," Angela said eagerly, blushing when she realized how forward she sounded but didn't retract her offer.

"No, that would be great. I don't know anyone around here so it would be nice to see a familiar face," Bella reassured her.

"Great," Angela said, her smile reappearing, and bounced back on her heels. "I guess I'll see you in school next Friday."

"Yeah, it was nice meeting you and, again, thanks for saving me — not a good look to start term in a cast," Bella joked, and Angela laughed in agreement.

"See you, Bella." They parted ways, Angela resuming her shopping and Bella going to the checkout, heart still beating fast and both wearing small smiles.

Starting at Forks High didn't seem too scary anymore.

There wasn't much for Bella to do in Forks while she waited for school to start. It was Thursday now, and she was beginning to get cabin fever. Term would start tomorrow, and the last thing she needed was to be alone with her thoughts. Being the new girl in such a small town was bound to draw attention from the other students, and Bella was dreading it. Hopefully, Angela would make good on her offer and let Bella blend in by sitting with her. Bella had spent plenty of lunches sitting on her own in Phoenix but thinking about doing it in front of people who were bound to judge her was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Charlie was at work, and it was an odd experience for Bella to have the whole day to herself. She was so used to taking care of the household back in Phoenix because while Renée had a zest for damn near everything, she was a complete disaster when it came to taking care of anyone, much less herself. Charlie was the complete opposite: he remembered to pay the bills and cleaned up after himself. The only thing Bella took over was the cooking. Charlie hadn't protested, especially not after she'd caught him putting a can of beans inside the microwave.

The man was a menace inside the kitchen.

She spoke to her mother daily, both through emails and phone calls. It was amazing how much her mother could prattle on and make the most mundane things seem exciting. Bella should buy a mobile because they were starting to run up Charlie's landline bill with their routine of calling each other in the evenings and spend an hour chatting. Renée did most of the speaking while Bella listened. It eased her mind to hear how happy her mother was. It was sometimes a little disheartened how Renée seemed to be thriving without Bella there to look after her.

Bella dismissed the thought as soon as it reared its ugly head inside her mind. Renée was happy, and that was all that mattered.

Senior year was upon her and Bella should use the time to find out what she wanted to do with herself. She couldn't help but feel adrift during those empty moments sitting at home and waiting for something interesting to happen.

Sick of her train of thought, Bella decided to go for a drive. A change of scenery should help her clear her mind. She grabbed the CD Charlie had given her for her fourteenth birthday. She'd found it while going through the stuff that had collected on her bookshelf throughout the years. It was a good gift. Charlie had found most of her favorite songs from his collection and mixed them onto a CD himself. Bella was ashamed to admit that she didn't remember what songs were on there, but her mood brightened significantly when the first pluck of guitar of 'Here Comes the Sun' by the Beatles started playing. Charlie knew her better than she'd thought.

She had no direction in mind when she pulled out of the drive, but all too soon she was at the intersection of the 101 and 110. Without thinking she took a left onto the La Push Road, but Ben E. King's crooning voice distracted her from any worry. All thoughts of mutant wolves and Paul were absent from her mind as she jiggled shoulders in rhythm with the bass of 'Stand By Me.'

Bella turned on her windshield wipers when it started to rain.

She was nearing the village's border when she saw something strange. Sam was standing by the tree-line, flanked by Jared and Paul. They were all shirtless and wore shorts like they'd been out for a jog when they'd been caught in the rain. Across the road was Leah. She was standing on the sidewalk, her flannel shirt slowly getting drenched in the downpour. Leah didn't seem to notice it though as she glared at Sam. The pure venom on her face was impressive, but it didn't distract Bella from how her shoulder shook and hunched forwards as the rain grew heavier.

Bella was reminded of a standoff between bandits in one of Charlie's old movies about the Wild West.

She was already stepping on the break when Paul's head suddenly snapped up like he'd felt her gaze. Her stomach clenched, and she wanted to sink into the ground when he jolted back with a look of surprise crossing his face.

What the hell was his problem?

Jimi Hendrix's guitar solo jolted her into reality, and Bella quickly lowered the volume. Leah's glare was losing it heat and the sorrow in her gaze alarmed Bella. After making sure there was no one driving behind her, Bella slowed to a halt.

Paul was still staring at her and Bella's frustration got the better of her. With a stubborn tick to her chin, she trudged up the nerve to give him a small wave with a sickly sweet smile. He blinked in surprise and Bella was bewildered when his lips quirked up into a toothy grin. He rose to his full height, which was admittedly impressive, and his chest puffed up in that cocky way that seems universal among young men. Jared nudged Paul in the ribs teasingly, and Paul hit him in the shoulder with enough force to make him stumble.

 _Men_ , Bella thought disparagingly. Paul didn't seem to hate her as she had initially thought, but she had more pressing matters at hand. Sam didn't have eyes for anyone besides Leah. He appeared just as unhappy at seeing Leah, but there wasn't any of Leah's rage in him. He seemed weary.

Why hadn't Leah left? It was blatant, even to an outsider like Bella, that she wasn't comfortable with Sam's proximity. There was bad blood between the two of them, and while Bella was curious by nature, their history it was none of her business. However, there was no way she could leave Leah in a situation that was causing her such distress.

Bella hoped that she wasn't about to get humiliated in front of these guys. She attempted to roll down her window, but it stuck after an inch, so she opened her door instead with a huff. Rain immediately pelted her hair and shoulder, and cold drops rolled down the back of her collar. She ignored the men and lifted herself to stand on the car door sill and leaned over the wet roof of her truck to call out to Leah.

"Hey, need a ride?" Leah snapped her attention towards Bella in surprise. Bella shivered as she waited for an answer. There was a tense pause where Leah gave Sam one last mutinous glare before stalking silently to Bella and her truck. She got in on the other side, and Bella let out a breath.

"Yeah," Leah snarled as she slammed the door shut. Bella all but tumbled back into the driver's seat and closed her door with more care. The car was cold now that Bella had let out all the warm air and she set to close her window. It gave her a chance to take one last peek at Paul. His eyebrows were approaching his hairline, and even Jared appeared slack-jawed. Bella suppressed the urge to stick her tongue out at them. There was no need to look so surprised, and Sam's apparent gratefulness was also unwarranted because Bella certainly hadn't done it for him.

She settled on a sloppy salute and turned to her passenger.

"Where do you want to go?" Bella asked Leah and cranked up the heat when she noticed Leah was shivering. She started driving.

"Just go wherever it was you were going," Leah dismissed, huddling down into the seat with crossed arms.

"I was just driving around," Bella explained. "Want me to take you home?"

"No, just keep on driving," Leah said and dialed up the volume on Bella's radio. The scent of wet clothes filled the cab, and they stayed silent as Bella drove further into La Push. There wasn't a lot of roads, and she took a circle around the Quileute Tribal Council building and pulled back onto the Ocean Front Drive, heading out of the village.

"Is it okay if we keep going?" Bella asked when they came to the 101.

"Yeah," Leah said. She seemed to relax with every mile they put between them and La Push. She did not indicate being affected by the initial strained silence like Bella, but soon the calm that came with driving eased any tension between them.

Bella was struck by how weird this was but Leah's calm demeanor was also kind of nice. She wasn't inclined to strike up a conversation herself, and she wasn't ready to return to Forks either. Leah seemed to agree with her because she asked her if she had any more music when the CD finished.

"No, but you missed the first a couple of songs," Bella said like she'd always intended to pick her up and Leah's features softened. The first song with the Beatles started to play again.

Neither spoke again until the CD finished for the second time. Bella asked if Leah knew any good radio stations. They were driving past the tiny town of Shuwah, which resided on the other side of Forks when Bella felt the urge of getting to know her passenger a little. She searched for something to say to break the ice.

"So, um. What do you do for fun around here?" Bella asked and winced when Leah raised her eyebrow at her pitiful attempt at small talk. "Yeah, that was pretty bad."

Leah took a moment before answering. "Hiking. The forest is beautiful around here," there was a note of pride in her voice, "then there's fishing of course: our dads still fish together, and then there's hunting if you're into that kind of thing."

"I'm not a big hunter, but hiking sounds nice," Bella said. Then she remembered her disastrous attempt at walking in the forest by Billy's house and snickered, "that is, when I'm not tripping over roots and falling onto my ass."

"There are a couple of good trails by the Second Beach. Should be free of any roots," Leah said dryly. She appeared to deliberate for a moment, "I could show you my favorite one when the weather is better."

"That would be awesome," Bella said, a little surprised at Leah's offer. She tapped her steering wheel with a goofy smile, feeling absurdly proud of the fact that Leah wanted to meet her again.

It wasn't until Leah remarked that it was getting late that Bella turned around to head back. She was startled when she noticed that the sky was already darkening as evening approached. They'd been driving for a little over an hour. Charlie would be home soon, and Bella hadn't intended to let an empty house greet him.

The trip back was somehow quicker, and they were entering La Push before they knew it. Bella remembered the way to the Clearwater's home from her last visit and pulled up in front of their driveway.

"Thanks. I needed to get away for a while," Leah said after a pregnant pause.

"Don't mention it," Bella said with a shake of her head. "This was nice. I've never driven around with a friend before." The words were out of her mouth before she had time to think and she was mortified when she realized that she'd called Leah her friend. _Presumptuous much, Bella?_

Thankfully, Leah sent her a faint smile before she could start backtracking.

"See you around, Swan." She jumped down and jogged through the rain up to her house.

Bella drove back in a bit of a daze and soon pulled up by her house. She would need to fill her tank tomorrow after school.

Charlie was laying the dinner table when Bella came in.

"I ordered some pizza, hope you don't mind," he said and motioned to the pizza box on the table.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay out for so long. I just lost track of time, and then I had to drive Leah home," Bella explained as they took their seats and Charlie's brows rose in surprise.

"Leah Clearwater?" he asked and handed her a slice, "I didn't know you were friends. What were you two doing together?"

"Just driving around." Bella shrugged and took a bite. She was starving.

"Have fun?" he asked, and Bella nodded, chewing silently.

"Leah's cool," she said and smiled to herself. "It's intimidating, really."

"Huh," Charlie accepted Bella's newfound friendship readily. The pizza was almost gone when Bella remembered what she'd wanted to ask Charlie.

"Hey, dad. Think you can make me more CD's? It's nice to have something to listen to in the car."

"You still listen to that old thing?" The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled, "Of course, Bells. Just write down what songs you like, and I'll fix it."

"Thank you." Bella took their plates and put them in the washer.

"Billy called," Charlie said, stretching his back and handed Bella his glass.

"Oh?"

"He invited us to dinner as repayment for 'putting up with his drunk ass' as he put it," Charlie said sheepishly.

"Yours as well, if I recall," Bella said teasingly.

Charlie coughed gruffly, "Yeah, well," he trailed off, cheeks reddening.

"I had fun," Bella reassured him, "tell Billy I'd love to have dinner."

"It's a date."

* * *

 **Next chapter:** Something's fishy about the supposedly suave Cullens, and Bella's not impressed. Dinner at Billy's, featuring the hazards of climbing in grocery stores when your name is Bella Swan and more Paul.

 **A/N:** Did I go sightseeing in Washington on Google Maps? You bet I did!

Do you guys have any headcanons for Paul? I'd love to hear them if you do! Like what kind of music do you think he listens to? Is he a morning person or does he like to press the snooze button on his alarm clock? Does he hog the blankets? These are the real questions in life, people, and we shall get to the bottom of them!

If you're craving some Twilight content (or general shitposts), the fandom is very active on Tumblr! Also, if any of you are interested to see Bella/Paul mood boards, I have a few on my Tumblr (forksofwisdom) underneath the tag 'bellapaul'.


	4. Meet the Cullens

**Chapter 4** \- Meet the Cullens

 **A/N:** I've developed a nasty cough, so the reviews you guys left were a sight for sore eyes! Thank you for sharing your headcanons, blackenedwolf, and gracieironic! I couldn't agree with you more. Paul is definitely the type who listens to loud rock music and steals the blankets when they're close. I think you're both onto something when it comes to his sleeping habits as well: whenever he's working on a project, he probably won't sleep until the job is done and pulls multiple all-nighters to finish them. But when he falls asleep, he sleeps like the dead and hates it when someone tries to wake him before he's ready - resulting in many broken alarm clocks.

I split this chapter into two because it got so long.

Not beta read!

 **Chapter summary:** First day of school, Angela turns out to be a gift from the gods and the Cullen siblings… not so much.

* * *

The first discovery Bella made on Friday morning while walking from her front door to her truck was that the coat she'd brought from Arizona was not waterproof. It was pouring buckets, and she shivered as the raindrops pierced through the fabric of her coat and drenched the hoodie she was wearing underneath. Her second discovery was that dressing up for school had been a horrible decision. It wasn't anything fancy, but she'd worn her converse shoes that day and had landed in a puddle the moment she'd stepped out of her truck in the school parking lot.

They weren't waterproof either.

With a growl, Bella slammed shut her door and jumped onto dry land. She fumbled with her keys as she tried to shake the water from her shoes and felt like crying when she dropped them into the puddle. People were starting to stare, so Bella pulled up her hood to hide her misery and fished her keys up. She was tempted to pull the ties of her hood until it enveloped her face entirely as she approached the front office to get her schedule. The school was a collection of matching square buildings. They were all made from the same maroon-colored bricks and surrounded by trees and shrubs. Bella's mood did not improve. The heavy rain clouds made everything seem so dreary and cold. Her foul expression was enough to keep anyone from approaching her, but she made an effort to clear her face before greeting the receptionist.

The office had a small waiting room, equipped with folding chairs and a bulletin board, which displayed the words: Respect, Integrity, and Commitment. Underneath that was the school motto, 'WE ARE ALL SPARTANS', written in bright yellow letters.

"Isabella Swan, welcome," said the squat woman sitting behind the desk before Bella had time to introduce herself, "Your father informed me you were coming." Shelly Cope, her nameplate sat on the corner of her desk, had red hair and wore glasses that made her eyes seem smaller than they were. Her impartial smile informed Bella that there wouldn't be any small talk.

 _Good_ , Bella thought.

"Yes, I'm here for my schedule," she said. The secretary pushed away from the table and rolled her chair over to the printer and pulled out some paper that she stapled together before showing it to Bella.

"Here you are. I've put a map in there as well." She flipped it from underneath Bella's schedule to show her the school's layout. "Your first class is 12th grade English, and it's held in Building 3, room six. Mr. Berty, your teacher, will provide you with all the material you need for his class." The dismissal was evident in her voice, and Bella thanked her before heading out into the rain again.

She shielded her papers from the worst of it and was grateful that Building 3 was the closest to the secretary office.

"Bella!"

Bella looked up at the sound of her name and saw it was Angela. They'd been about to enter the same building, and Bella nearly jogged into her when she paused to open the door. Angela held the door for her and their shoes squeaked against the linoleum floor, leaving wet footprints as they sought refuge from the rain.

"Hi, Angela," Bella breathed.

"I didn't think I would see you so soon," Angela said pleasantly. She pulled down the hood of her raincoat and unzipped it to shake her hair out. Her glasses were starting to fog up from the rise in temperature. "What class do you have?"

"English," Bella answered.

"With Mr. Berty? Me too." Angela was familiar with the hallways, and Bella let her guide them to classroom six. There were a handful of students loitering outside the classroom, sluggish and heavy-lidded as they waited for the bell to ring. Angela waved to them, and the jerked their heads and mumbled an unenthusiastic greeting. Senioritis was real, and the term hadn't even started. Bella would fit in nicely here. She was already exhausted after having spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed from first-day-of-school jitters.

"What kind of teacher is he?" Bella asked her and sent the gathered students a stiff smile. Like Ms. Cope, they didn't seem surprised to see her and shot her furtive sidelong glances.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class.

"I guess you'll see for yourself," Angela said apologetically as a tall man with graying hair opened the door from the inside. He must be Mr. Berty. He waved them inside with little fanfare, and Bella saw that he was wearing a tweed suit jacket with elbow patches and plaid pants. He looked like he could either be the type who believed that his own brilliance was wasted as a high school teacher or was simply eccentric. Bella hoped it was the latter.

They filed into a standard looking classroom. It was smaller than Bella was used to. Posters made by previous students covered the white walls, and the wooden tables were organized into three neat rows. They only allowed two students to sit side by side. Mr. Berty returned to his desk and Bella approached him while the students took their seats.

"Who might you be?" Mr. Berty asked, peering at her over his reading glasses.

"I'm the new student, Isabella Swan," Bella said.

"Ah, yes. Here is the lesson plan for this term," he nodded, and Bella was relieved that he wasn't about to make her stand in front of the class and introduce herself like they were still in grade school. Instead, he did something much worse, "You might as well hand them out to the rest of the class. Take a seat once you've finished so we can get started."

Bella took the stack of paper silently and made quick work of handing them out while Mr. Berty did the roll call. She avoided making eye contact with anyone, but her school bag hung off her elbow awkwardly, dripping water onto the floor, and it bumped against the tables every other step she took. She approached Angela last. She'd saved her a seat and Bella slid the sheet of paper over to her with a grateful smile.

"Now that we're all here, there will be no mercy today even though it's our first day. This is a double period class, and I see no point in wasting it by giving you a few more minutes of recess." Mr. Berty clapped his hands together, making the half-asleep student jerk in their seats. He appeared to regain vigor from the sound of their groans. They'd all been hoping that he'd let them off easy today. "We'll be focusing on Shakespeare's work for the majority of the year but rest assured there will be plenty of opportunity for essay writing and presentations." Mr. Berty smiled when his students slumped lower into their seats, their misery apparent.

The rest of his lecture continued in that fashion, and Bella wondered why teachers felt the need to tell their students everything that was written in the lesson plan. It must be a rite of passage to waste everyone's time during the first day back. They were nearing the end of their first period when Mr. Bert finally stopped talking. He split them into pairs to 'work on their communication skills' as he put it.

Bella thanked the universe for already being acquainted with Angela because they shared a furtive grin and tackled the task at hand without needing any awkward introductions. They were supposed to compare their favorite work of fiction and discuss the differences and merits of each book. It turned out they both shared a love for Jane Austen so filling out the worksheet was a breeze. Angela chose Sense and Sensibility while Pride and Prejudice continued to be Bella's favorite. They were discussing the differences between Elinor Dashwood level-headedness and Elizabeth Bennet's playful impertinence and drawing the similarities of their passionate nature when the bell rang.

"I've never met anyone who's into Austen as much as I am," Angela told Bella after they'd handed their worksheet to Mr. Berty.

"Me neither," Bella said. It was true, Bella had spent hours reading and re-reading the novels in her youth but had been crushed to realize that none of her old classmates shared her interest in the classics. "Now, you have to be honest with me because this question will be a deciding factor for me to keep you as my friend or not." Bella's tone was mockingly grim, and Angela caught on quickly and assumed a serious face. "Fudge, marry, kill: Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Collin?"

Angela burst out laughing, blushing lightly at Bella's crude language. "Oh, one is easy: kill Mr. Collins, but I always had a little bit of a crush on the Colonel after having seen the BBC adaptation from 1995," she mused, making Bella gasp with delight.

"You've seen it?" Bella asked with uncontainable delight. She'd watched the series so many times that Renée refused to watch it with her anymore. She forgot her nervousness. "I don't care who you fuck or marry: you are officially my favorite person!"

Angela seemed just as eager as Bella. "I've got the special edition with restored colors and commentary," she admitted in a shy voice, and Bella looped their arms together, letting Angela lead their way to their next class, which was American History.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Bella joked, and Angela nodded in agreement.

Their history lesson passed quickly, the teacher just as eager for the break as the students and promptly dismissed them after giving them the rundown of the course. Bella and Angela continued their conversation, and soon they'd made plans to meet up sometime and watch Angela's entire Jane Austen film and tv-series adaptations together. Making friends wasn't as hard as Bella had initially thought. She was so relieved to have found a kindred spirit in Angela that she forgot to be worried about lunch.

They were sitting at one of the tables located in almost every corner of the hallways around the school and Bella was getting to know Angela a little better. Angela had lived in Forks her entire life, her father was the Lutheran minister, and her mother worked as an accountant for a small local business. She also had twin brothers, Joshua and Isaac, who could be very rambunctious and trying at times but Bella could hear the affection in her voice as she recounted their mischief. Angela was just getting into the swing of things, telling Bella about the time her brothers had put a lobster in the cradle as Baby Jesus before the start of the annual Christmas play when they were interrupted.

"Yo, Angie!" A blond haired boy called with unnecessary loudness. He strutted down the hallway towards them with two other guys. He perked up at the sight of Bella and

"Hi, I'm Mike," he said and held out his hand for her to shake. He was smiling at her with a little too much interest and Bella heaved an internal sigh.

"Guys this is Bella." Angela, bless her heart, took it upon herself to make the introductions. "Bella this is Austin-" she gestured to the acne-ridden sandy-haired boy who raised his hand in greeting, "- and this is Ben." The short, black haired boy shot Bella an awkward smile as he sat down next to Angela and entwined their fingers together. Bella blinked. Angela hadn't mentioned having a boyfriend.

"So, Bella-" Mike started to drawl.

"Where's Jessica?" Angela asked Mike pointedly, cutting him off. He shrunk back and rubbed the back of his neck guiltily.

"She went with Lauren to save us a good table in Mess," Mike said. "She told us to go and find you. Your schedule is messed up; we hardly have any classes together! Ben here was starting to pine for you by the third period."

Angela laughed awkwardly, tightening her grip on Ben and patted the back of his hand with her free hand. "Yeah, but I wouldn't have met Bella otherwise. Besides, we have photography together next class," she reassured Ben and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. He blushed.

"C'mon, I'm starving," Austin groaned, and they got up. Angela disentangled herself from Ben and fell into step with Bella. He didn't seem to mind and took to discussing the new chapter of some superhero novel with Austin. Bella couldn't help but notice that Angela was an entire head taller than her boyfriend, who was about as tall as herself.

The mess hall was starting to fill with hungry students, and they took their place in the forming queue to get their meal. The other students had food stamps, and Angela loaned Bella one of hers when she realized that she hadn't brought any money.

"I'll pay you back tomorrow," Bella promised after thanking her. Angela shook her head and reassured her that it wasn't necessary. Bella didn't dare take the time to examine what the school had to offer with a line behind her and picked the same stuff as Angela. They headed for a table that was occupied by two pretty girls and two guys who were both wearing varsity jackets.

"Hey, Lauren, Jessica. This is Bella. She's new here," Angela introduced Bella when they took their seats.

"We know," the girl with white blonde hair, Lauren, said. She seemed to dismiss Bella after giving her a once over with sharp green eyes and leaned into the dark-skinned boy sitting beside her. He tried to tangle his fingers in her hair, but she jerked her head away with a warning glare. He rolled his eyes and introduced himself as Tyler Crowley.

"Hi!" a brunette with voluminous curls waved cheerfully to Bella when she took a seat across from her. Mike had his arm around her shoulders. She must be Jessica. "Don't mind, Lauren. She's not good with new people."

"Shut up, Jess," Lauren scoffed, but there wasn't any heat behind her words. Angela, who was sitting next to Bella, raised her eyebrows in a 'what-can-you-do' way and Bella stifled her smile.

"Hey, Conner," Mike shared a fist bump with the other guy.

"Yo, dude. Did you catch the game last night?" Conner asked, licking his spoon free of yogurt.

"The Seahawks got slaughtered, man," Tyler laughed, and Mike buried his face in his hands with a groan.

"Don't remind me." Mike shook his head, and they launched into a heated argument over which team player was to blame for their defeat. Jessica rolled her eyes and leaned forward to tell Angela about what kind of morning she'd had. Apparently, she'd found a dead squirrel on her front porch.

"- I literally died," Jessica said dramatically, and Lauren grimaced with disgust.

"What did you do with it?"

"Dad got a stick and took it into the woods. It was super gross. It didn't have any eyes!" Jessica said with too much relish for a girl who was supposedly traumatized by the event.

Bella nibbled on the side of her cafeteria bland pizza slice and realized that she was sitting with the popular cheerleaders and jocks. It was an absurd thought because she'd spent years making fun of their type. She couldn't help but think that Jessica and Lauren were both shallow, but then again, she hadn't known them for more than twenty minutes.

It was a weird moment for her.

"So, we're graduating soon. Have any, like, plans?" Lauren asked the entire table. She was obviously the leader here because the other conversations came to a stop to join hers. Lauren didn't seem too interested in knowing their goals because she immediately launched into her own plans once she had their attention. "I'm going to Canada."

"Lauren was scouted by a model agency in Victoria this summer," Angela explained in a hushed voice when she noticed Bella's confusion. Lauren seemed genuinely excited by the prospect, and she even let Tyler touch her hair when he pressed a kiss to her lips. Bella looked away at their display of affection.

"You're going places, babe."

"I'm going to attend uni in Seattle," Ben said and the rest of the table seemed to have similar plans.

"I'm thinking about getting a degree in communications and maybe entertainment. I really want to have my own talk show one day," Jessica piped up with a dreamy smile.

"Then you can interview me once I'm famous," Lauren laughed, and Jessica joined her with a strained smile. Bella sensed a bit of jealousy coming from Jessica and wondered if it was because Laura was the more popular one.

"Totally!"

"What about you, Bella?" Mike asked her and Bella was suddenly the focal point of the entire table.

"Um, I'm going to university and maybe become a teacher." She shrugged, flushing a little underneath their attention.

"Me too," Angela said. "I want to be a kindergarten teacher."

"What do you think the Cullens are going to do?" Jessica asked, and Bella was left behind at the leap in the conversation. She had no idea who the Cullens were, but it seemed like a favorite subject of Jessica's because there was a gleam in her eyes while the others rolled their eyes. The atmosphere soured even further when Lauren spoke.

"Who cares? They don't need jobs because they're all rich and beautiful," she sneered.

"Speak of the devil," Mike muttered, and Bella looked up.

A lanky young man and what appeared to be a child at first glance had just entered the mess hall. A closer look told Bella that the girl wasn't a child but around her age and was just unfortunately short and thin to the extremes. Despite this they looked like a pair of runway models who'd gotten lost on their way to the catwalk and somehow ended up in Forks, Washington instead. Bella couldn't believe they were still in high school with features like that. Maybe it was the way they dressed, but they appeared years older than the rest of the student population. They walked with the kind of confidence rarely seen in a teenager, and there wasn't a blemish in sight. They were both deathly pale, and the girl reminded Bella of a pixie — she appeared to float across the room with the graceful steps of a skilled dancer.

Bella felt a twinge of envy at her coordination. Some people just had it all.

Her companion was just as fetching. He was devastatingly handsome with windswept hair that was the most unusual shade of copper. Heads turned as they walked past, but they didn't seem to care, getting a tray of food and taking a seat in the corner. They slouched elegantly in their chairs and stared in separate directions in stony silence.

Were these the Cullens? Bella was almost afraid to ask at this point.

Sound returned to the room, and slowly the students returned to their conversations, shooting the Cullens glances as they put their heads together to whisper and giggle about something, most likely how hot they were.

Jessica sighed before she caught herself and shot Mike a guilty glance. He'd been checking out the pixie Cullen, and Jessica elbowed him in the gut. Mike winced.

"Are they related?" Bella wondered. They didn't look remotely similar beyond their pale skin and good looks.

"Oh, no," Jessica answered, eager to dish out their dirty secrets. "Dr. Cullen adopted them, that's Alice and Edward Cullen, but they have three other siblings who graduated last year. Emmett Cullen, and the Hale twins; Rosalie and Jasper." Jessica leaned in like she was about to share something scandalous, sending the Cullens an eager look. "They're all like, _together_ together."

"Wait, like romantically?" Bella asked.

"It's really weird," Jessica nodded and was put out when she saw that Bella didn't share her disgust.

"Well, you said that they're not related," Bella said slowly. Call her a romantic, but she believed that love could be found in the most unexpected places.

"It's weird," Jessica asserted before resuming her gossiping, "Alice and Jasper are together, and so are Emmett and Rosalie but Edward is like the only single one," she said and looked at Edward with a wistful expression, "He's never shown anyone interest though because apparently, no one is good enough for him." She blushed and drew back to fold her arms against her chest. Mike glared at Edward Cullen and pulled Jessica to him, which seemed to cheer her up. "Whatever, it's not like I care." Her sour expression gave away that she wasn't as unaffected as she pretended. Bella didn't know what to say to this.

She glanced at the Cullens again and met the golden eyes of Alice. Her large doe eyes were alight with some indiscernible emotion, and she whispered something to her brother, not taking her eyes off of Bella. Bella looked down at her plate quickly, embarrassed at having been caught but a quick glance told her that Edward was watching her as well. He didn't seem to share his sister's excitement and glared at Bella. Humiliated, she felt like a sideshow freak when they kept staring at her.

"Bella, what class do you have next?" Angela offered Bella an out from the awkward silence.

"I have Spanish," she said after consulting her schedule. It had been an obvious choice because Bella had taken it in Phoenix, as it is the second most common language spoken in California and Arizona. "What about you?" Bella asked, and Angela reminded her that she had photography with Ben after lunch.

"I'm taking French," Lauren piped up. She buffed her nails against her blouse without looking up. Jessica appeared to have gotten over her herself and her good mood was restored.

"So am I!" she said brightly. "Mike, you have trig right?"

"Don't remind me," he moaned and looked over at Connor and Tyler. "Do you guys remember anything from last year?"

"Nope." They didn't appear to be bothered by the fact and started to pile their trash onto their trays when the bell rang to signal the end of lunch.

Bella's map came in handy when she was forced to split up with Angela, who'd been her guide up to this moment. She arrived at the correct classroom in the nick of time. Mrs. Goff, the Spanish teacher, greeted her enthusiastically and made her stand in front of the class and introduce herself in Spanish. Bella wanted to sink into the floor, but her grasp on Spanish was good enough, and she was able to rattle off some inane facts about herself.

"¡Hola, nosotros estamos feliz que usted aquí! Yo sé que tú trabajas a tu español," the teacher exclaimed and received blank-eyed stares from her students.

"Gracias, señora," Bella said and quickly went to the only seat available. She nearly swallowed her tongue when she saw Alice Cullen sitting in the chair next to hers. Bella sat down and gave Alice an awkward smile, which she returned trifold, nearly blinding Bella with the beauty of it. Her teeth were straight and a pearly white. Bella had the urge to go and brush her teeth, feeling self-conscious.

"So your name is Bella?" Alice asked, her voice sounding like wind chimes. Bella got lost in her eyes for a moment. She'd never seen such an unusual eye color, they were a stunning liquid gold. She shook herself out of her daze when she realized Alice was waiting for an answer.

"Sí," Bella replied jokingly.

"How wonderful." Alice's smile widened impossibly. She seemed oddly thrilled about learning Bella's name because she laughed with delight at the simple introduction. Even her laugh was beautiful.

Mrs. Goff spoke in Spanish throughout the class, but Bella had a hard time focusing. Alice was the most beautiful creature she'd ever met, with her pale skin and red lips. She reminded Bella of a miniature Snow White.

Alice didn't pay attention to Mrs. Goff either because she kept asking Bella questions in a low whisper. Bella was a little flattered by the attention since Alice was painfully out of her league. The rest of the students seemed to be just as stunned to see Alice voluntarily talking to another human being outside her own family. Mrs. Goff didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.

"What color were you thinking about?" Alice's question brought Bella back. They'd somehow gotten onto the topic of interior design. Bella had learned that Alice was a fashion enthusiast with a thing for decorations, and had let slip that she was thinking about painting the wall in her room to add a little warmth to it.

"I haven't gotten that far yet," Bella admitted.

"Well, I recommend you go to Benjamin Moore in Port Angeles and look at their swatches. Here, let me give you my number in case you need help picking out the right color," Alice said as the bell rang. She ripped some paper from her notebook and scribbled her mobile number on it and gave it to Bella.

"I don't have a phone," Bella said dumbly.

"Oh, that doesn't matter," Alice dismissed. "There are plenty of places that sell them."

"Thanks." Bella blinked, feeling like she'd been caught in a whirlwind.

"No, problem," Alice smiled and waved as she headed in the other direction. "I'll see you around, Bella!"

"See ya," Bella said weakly. She got caught in the flow of students and walked with them in a slight daze.

Alice was a little overwhelming. Alright, very overwhelming. It was apparent that she was the type who knew what she wanted and had no issues with getting it. It was an admirable trait, but Bella was a little shell-shocked after taking the brunt of her attention. Yes, Alice was persistent for someone her size but otherwise harmless. Mostly.

Bella soon learned that the same could not be said about her brother.

Biology class started out fine. Mr. Banner, the teacher, handed Bella her book and bade her take a seat without making her introduce herself using the theme of the subject as Mrs. Goff had done. It would have made an interesting introduction: _"Hi, my name is Isabella Swan, but call me Bella. I started out as a zygote inside my mother's womb and developed into a human through the wonderful process of mitosis and meiosis. I'm also a Virgo."_

The only seat available was next to one Edward Cullen.

Everything rolled downhill after that.

Bella couldn't help but stare at him when she walked between the aisles. Edward's chiseled features belonged in renaissance paintings or on statues of Greek deities, crafted by master sculptors, not in this backwoods high school. Bella had never seen anyone as handsome as him. It was disquieting, and it provoked something indescribable inside her.

He looked like an angel.

When she drew near, his nostrils suddenly flared, and his head jerked up. Edward glared at her with monstrous black eyes, his pupil indiscernible from their darkness, and his face contorted like he'd smelled something foul. He leaned away from Bella as far as his seat allowed him when she sat down next to him.

Her heart gave a painful squeeze of mortification, and she quickly looked down at the tabletop, her hair falling forward to hide her face. She tried to subtly sniff her shirt to see if she stunk and was a little insulted when she smelled nothing out of the ordinary. Sure, Bella didn't smell like her usual strawberry shampoo, having forgotten to pick it up at the store, but she wasn't smelly, and her natural musk was too faint for Edward to smell from this distance. Maybe he was sick — he certainly looked like he was in agony.

She drew a breath and was about to ask him if he needed the nurse when a tantalizing sweet scent wafted towards her, similar to the one his sister bore. Her mind felt fuzzy, and Bella was drawn towards it like a bee to honey, but the look in Edward's soulless eyes spelled death. It was a spine-chilling experience.

Bella looked away quickly. She took it back: Edward wasn't a beautiful angel, not at that moment. He was an archangel, cast out of heaven and turned demonic. He didn't look human. _Maybe he just has bad gas_ , she thought to herself, feeling the beginnings of hysteria creeping on her. Twenty minutes dragged past, and Bella kept one eye on the clock and the beast beside her. She hadn't heard a word of what Mr. Banner was saying, distracted by the murderous intent emanating from Edward. He hadn't moved, frozen in his odd hunched position. Bella doubted that he was even breathing; his chest wasn't moving, and his hand was covering his mouth and nose. He certainly wasn't blinking.

Fear. That was the feeling Edward provoked inside her; a deep primal fear that urged Bella to either leap out of the window to get away from him or to pick up her pencil and stab it into those unnatural black eyes of his. Bella was not a violent person by nature so the sudden desire to attack a classmate, no matter how creepy, took her by surprise.

What was happening to her? Bella didn't know, but she knew it had something to do with Edward. She refused to take this anymore. Edward Cullen had no right to affect her like this. Bella stood up and walked to Mr. Banner's desk for her escape. He looked up at her, and she didn't have to fake her nervous smile.

"Excuse me, sir. Can I go to the bathroom?" she asked in a low voice.

"Certainly," Mr. Banner said and handed her a hall pass.

"Thank you," Bella said and hurried out of the room. One last look at Edward almost sent her running. He was no longer straining back but leaning forwards like a predator readying itself to leap onto its prey. He looked like he wanted to eat her.

Bella settled for a brisk pace down the corridor instead of hightailing out of the school like she wanted to. She was halfway down the hallway when Alice Cullen, of all people, rounded the corner. She was speaking anxiously into her phone, and Bella caught a bit of her end of the conversation when they walked past each other, "-can't see him, Carlisle. Hi, Bella!" Alice wiggled her fingers at her in greeting but didn't slow down, which suited Bella just fine. She'd had enough of the Cullens today. "No. I'm getting him now."

Him? Did she mean Edward? If so, Bella hoped she was taking him to the hospital for a rabies shot. He was clearly feral.

She made it to the bathroom without any hindrance and locked herself in one of the stalls. It offered her a bare minimum of protection, but at least no one could see her. If you can't see it, it's not there — it being a black-eyed monster in this case. The irrational thought was exactly what Bella needed to calm down. She stared blankly at the scribbles on the stall door as she wrangled her thundering heart under control. Someone had written in looping cursive about, oddly enough, the militia movements of the Confederate Army in the Civil War. It was signed J. W. at the bottom, and Bella sent a silent thank-you to them for the weird distraction.

Five minutes passed faster than she liked and Bella was forced to return to the Biology classroom. She felt like she was heading towards the gallows.

Edward was nowhere in sight, and Bella was faint with relief. She returned her hall pass with shaking hands and returned to her seat. Feeling brave, she vindictively took the chair Edward had occupied. It was silly, but it gave Bella a small measure of comfort: how evil could he be if his presence hadn't left behind a tainted mark. Bella's thought hadn't even finished when she noticed hairline fractures in the wood extending from the place where Edward had gripped the desk. Had he broken the counter? It seemed a bit excessive, but Edward must _really_ not like her. She ran her fingers on the underside of the wood and found finger size groves embedded there.

Her breath came fast and shallow, and Bella was on the verge of hyperventilating when she caught a flash of copper in her peripheral vision. Her mind had evidently associated the color with Edward, and rightly so, because her head snapped to the side, afraid that he was coming for her again. Alice was frog marching Edward across the car park. It would have been a comical sight, Edward's lanky height dwarfed Alice's tiny form, if Bella wasn't freaking out. Alice led him towards the woods for some reason. Didn't they have a car?

Then something astonishing happened: Alice pushed her brother forward with unnatural strength and his shape blurred as he took off at a sprint. With the same supernatural speed, Alice followed suit, and they were both gone before Bella had time to blink.

The only thing keeping Bella grounded was the grip she still had on the table, her fingers fitting into the indentations Edward had left behind.

It was proof that she hadn't lost her mind.

* * *

 **A/N:** I don't speak Spanish and neither does anyone in my family so please don't hesitate to correct me if what Mrs. Goff said was incorrect!

So vampires are the apex predators of other predators and I always pictured them as Venus flytraps; luring their prey towards them with their looks and scent and crushing them once they're close enough. Bella's perception was always pretty astute, even though her self-preservation was nonexistent, but the imprint bond will influence her fight and flight response even more - hence why she's not as affected by the Cullens allure as other humans.

What was Jasper Whitlock doing in the girl's bathroom, you ask? Boredom. He'd already filled every available male bathroom stall with his cursive so he was forced to broaden his horizon a little (but only when no one - excluding his psychic wife - could see him).

Also, I drank like 15 cups of tea while writing this - cold begone with you!

 **Next chapter:** Momma Renée gives life advice, and dinner at Billy's turns into an eye-opening experience, featuring Bella: the amazing grocery mountaineer.


	5. Dinner and Discussions

**Chapter 5** \- Dinner and Discussions

 **A/N:** Thank you for pointing that out to me, lazygirl89! I admit that it's been years since I read the stories but I took a closer look at the timeline and have changed the summary accordingly!

I've made cover photos for each chapter. You can copy the links I put in my bio if you're using the app or search for the tag 'embers of the sun' on my Tumblr (forksofwisdom) to see them!

Thank you for leaving me such kind reviews (I am feeling better, leoslady4ever!), and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Not beta read!

 **Chapter summary:** Momma Renée gives good advice, Charlie might not be that oblivious to the going-ons in Forks, Paul proves himself to be handy in a pinch - featuring Bella; the amazing grocery mountaineer and dinner at Billy's turns into an eye-opening experience.

* * *

Paranoia gripped Bella on the way home from school. The looming forest around Forks seemed to mock her with the horrors she knew lay within, and Bella was miserable by the time she pulled into her driveway. She sat inside her truck for a moment, her keys biting into her skin as she deliberated the chances of Edward Cullen coming to exact vengeance for whatever crime he thought Bella had committed against him. The dark woods behind her house gave her the creeps. Anything could be lurking in the undergrowth while she was none the wiser. She was a sitting duck inside her truck, so she threw caution to the wind and ran inside.

Bella hated to admit it, but that boy scared her more than any wolves that might be running around La Push.

It might seem a little excessive, but Bella didn't feel safe until she'd locked the doors that were accessible from outside the house and made sure to fasten all windows shut from the inside. She even went as far as securing the tiny one above the bathroom sink. Her overactive imagination went wild when she discovered that the latch on her bedroom window was faulty and it provided her with the scene of Edward sliding her window open in the dead of night, his eyes black eyes and pale skin gleaming in the moonlight. Bella knew for a fact that he could crush her windpipe easily, and envisioned how he'd render her mute while he tore her flesh to shreds.

She shuddered.

The vision had no basis in reality, but it disturbed Bella so much that she tied a thread between the handle on the bottom of her window and the little cactus Renée had given her so that if anyone were to open her window, it would knock the potted plant off the windowsill.

Hopefully, the noise would warn Bella of her inevitable doom.

She changed into her warmest clothes and made herself a piping cup of tea before planting herself on the living room couch to keep vigil. Now, that she had sat down and taken some time to gather herself, Bella wondered if she wasn't over-reacting. Edward was probably just the typical angry teen who hasn't grown out of his cootie phase yet. Anemia would explain his pasty skin and his black eyes might have been the result of unfortunate genes. If that turned out to be the case, Bella would just have to suck it up and get used to them.

That didn't mean she was about to try and become bosom pals with him anytime soon.

The tea burned her tongue and sitting idly with only her thoughts to keep her company was making her antsy. Bella attempted to reign in her anxiety. She scraped her raw taste buds against her teeth, biting into the place where she'd burned herself. The pain grounded her, and she put her mug down and stood up in search of a better distraction.

Bella had inherited the habit of baking when she felt stressed from Renée — thankfully without the tendency to turn the kitchen into a disaster zone with ill-advised culinary experiments. She found herself in the kitchen gathering ingredients to make some bread. Her dad didn't keep his kitchen stocked for unplanned baking, but Bella managed to scavenge what was needed to make a simple herb bread. Charlie had an odd collection of spices and a packet of dried yeast that was at least a decade old but Bella made due, and soon she was working out her frustration at handsome demon boys by punching the dough.

It was an effective anger release.

Bella was sweating by the time she finished, and the poor dough was bound to be tough after being so abused. She put it away so it could rise and was washing her hands when the phone rang. The jarring noise caught her by surprise, and Bella sprayed water down her front.

"Get a grip!" she chided herself harshly and slammed her hands down on the metal rim of the sink. Her pulse raced with adrenaline, but she quickly grabbed the phone with shaky hands, unsurprised to see the number calling. She cleared her throat and tried to calm her nerves before answering, "Hey, mom."

"How was school, hon?" Renée's asked without preamble.

"Fine," Bella sighed. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about right now, but it was nice to hear her mother's voice. Renée apparently caught her dark tone and tried to lighten the mood.

"Meet any cute boys?" she teased good-naturedly.

 _She had no idea._

The image of Paul wearing nothing but shorts and wet from the rain elbowed its way into Bella's mind, and she blushed as she tried to clean her dirty mind. Edward would have been a close second if he hadn't terrified the living daylights out of her. She knew her mother was just worried that she would have a hard time fitting in, but Bella knew from experience that if she kept her expectations low, there wouldn't be much disappointment. It had worked in her favor today because she'd been pleasantly surprised when she made a friend. It was a rarity for her to connect so quickly with another person, but Angela was one of the kindest people Bella had ever met. It was hard not to like her.

"Well, there was one, but he turned out to be a complete asshole," she admitted, thinking of Edward. There was no harm in playing along with her mother. Bella wouldn't mention his freaky behavior for now, but all bets were off if he tried anything. Charlie would be the first to know what kind of guy was to be her lab partner. Bella was not the type to go boy-crazy, but she enjoyed the evenings where she and Renée would stay up late and do 'girl stuff' together. Renée called those times her 'Bella-bonding' time. Her liveliness and easygoing nature made it feel like Bella was hanging out with her best friend instead of her mother.

In truth, 'Bella-bonding' had salvaged their relationship, which had been rocky ever since Bella shouldered some of Renée's responsibility after having grown tired of her ditziness. She was ashamed to admit that she'd started to become resentful of their backward mother-daughter dynamic during freshman year in high school and had been tempted to move to Forks then. The stress of keeping up with Renée had taken its toll, and the floodgates had opened when Bella tried to bottle it up. Instead of turning into an argument like Bella had feared it would, her mother had shown herself to be surprisingly sensible and capable of serious discussions. In the end, Bella decided to stay in Phoenix with Renée and Phil, and it was one of the best decisions she'd ever made. Phil helped a lot with taking care of things, and both Renée and Bella had come to rely on him to balance them out. Their bond had strengthened now that Renée was free to chase after whatever caught her fancy and Bella could be herself without drowning in obligations that shouldn't have fallen on her shoulders in the first place.

"Oh?" Renée asked, intrigued.

"I sat next to him in biology, and I swear, no one's ever glared at me like that. He acted as if I'd stabbed him with my pencil," Bella muttered.

"Pay him no mind, Bella. Boys like that aren't worth your time, and he's hardly the only guy in town," Renée reassured her.

"Yeah, you're right," Bella agreed quietly. She rubbed her forehead with a sigh. It was true. Edward wasn't the only guy who'd been on Bella's mind. Paul was still a mystery she was eager to crack.

"I am? Do you have another boy in mind?" Renée asked mischievously.

"What- I," Bella spluttered, too flustered to think of a better answer, "No. Yes. Maybe?"

"Now this I got to hear. Who has my girl so wound up that she can't speak?"

"He's just a guy I met at the beach," Bella admitted, omitting to say Paul's name - there was no need to get ahead of herself, "I thought he was an asshole too at first, but then he smiled at me. I don't know. He's just confusing."

"Have you talked to him?" Renée didn't bother to hide her amusement at Bella's frustration.

"No," Bella admitted grudgingly.

"Well, you better tell me all about him. It's about time you got some romance in your life," Renée said encouragingly. Her mother had never understood why Bella was so disinterested in dating. It was so different from what Renée had been like in her youth. Bella was a bit of a homebody, but it wasn't like she was averse to being in a relationship or falling in love. It was rather that no one in Phoenix had ever shown her any interest.

Maybe Forks could be different?

It occurred to her that she was probably getting her hopes up for nothing. A guy like Paul must have a girlfriend — someone as cool as Leah, or as graceful and beautiful as Alice. How could Bella compare to that? Her mood dampened, and she wanted to crawl underneath her blanket and forget about all the boys she's ever met. Bella tried to find an excuse to hang up on her mother. "Can we talk about it later? I need to get dinner started."

"Sure thing, hon," Renée said quietly, but she knew Bella well enough to recognize the tone in her voice, "I can hear you doubting yourself, Bella. You're a smart and beautiful girl, and I'm not just saying this as your mother. I know you hate it when I say this, but please try to relax and enjoy life, honey. You spend so much time inside your head and sometimes that negative little goblin distracts you from what's right in front of you. Put an old mother's heart at ease and try to make some friends."

"Really, mom - a negative goblin?" Bella scoffed, and Renée made a pleased sound at her own wit. "And you're not old."

"I know, but before you know it I'll be speeding around on a scooter while Phil tries to keep up," she joked and succeeded in drawing another laugh from Bella.

"I love you, mom."

"Love you too, sweetheart!" Renée said as parting words. Bella held onto the receiver for a moment after the call disconnected and listened to the white noise as she mulled over her mother's advice.

Relaxation was the furthest thing from her mind. There were too many secrets in this small town, and she had every intention of solving some of them. She put the phone down gently and went to get dinner ready while her bread was baking.

Being eaten by wolves sounded much more heroic than dying in the middle of a biology class.

* * *

"You ready to go, Bella?"

Bella looked up when Charlie called her name from the foyer. She was laying the table, the bread and the lasagna she'd cooked was ready to be eaten.

"Go where?" she called back, and there was a pause before Charlie poked his head inside.

"To Billy's," he said, raising his brow when he saw the food. Bella gasped when she remembered the invite Charlie had told her about yesterday.

"Oh, no! I completely forgot!" she moaned into her hands and Charlie watched her in bemusement.

"Relax, it's not the end of the world," he said. Bella looked at him between her fingers and saw that he was trying not to laugh at her.

"But I made dinner!" She pointed emphatically at the meal she'd prepared, trying to get him to understand how rude and inconsiderate she'd been for having forgotten their plans.

"So? Just leave it there, and we'll put it in the fridge once it's cooled," Charlie said, clearly wondering why Bella was getting so worked up about this. "We'll eat it tomorrow."

"Yeah." Bella rubbed her forehead. "Yeah, you're right. I'm being silly."

"No, you're not. You just had other stuff going on." Charlie clapped her on the back and went to investigate the bread, sniffing the air. "This smells delicious."

"Thanks, we're out of rosemary by the way." Bella stood up and put the jug of water she'd placed on the table back into the fridge. "I'm coming. Let me grab my coat."

"Put on some shoes while you're at it," Charlie called after her.

They took her truck, and Charlie offered to drive. Bella was tempted to argue but thought better of it and tossed him the key.

"I hope you don't mind," Charlie said as Bella was putting on her seatbelt and held up the end he'd sliced off the bread. She shook her head but was surprised when he ripped it into two and handed her the other half.

"Thanks." She took it and bit into it. It was still warm but a bit too salty for her taste. Charlie evidently didn't think so because he stuffed his half into his mouth and made a sound of appreciation at the taste.

"Jesus, this is good! Where did you learn how to bake?" he asked. The truck growled to life, and they pulled out of the dive.

"Just a habit." Bella shrugged, hiding a smile.

"Well, feel free to do it again because this is excellent." Charlie didn't give compliments freely, mainly because it made him feel awkward, but when he did it was more often than not about food. His words still touched Bella.

"I will," she promise.

"We'll need to stop for gas," he remarked after looking at the dashboard and Bella heaved a sigh. Another thing she'd forgotten to do today. Charlie looked over at her. "School go okay? You look tired."

"It was fine." Bella was relieved that she'd already spoken to her mother. The thought of trying to 'Bella-bond' with Charlie was hilarious — he would probably arrest himself before speaking to her about feelings and boys. Bella's answer was half-hearted at best, and Charlie frowned at her, his worry evident in his gaze, so she tried to reassure him. "I made a new friend. Her name is Angela Weber."

"That's great, Bella." His shoulders slumped and the pinch between his brows smoothed out. "Weber - any relation to Pastor Weber?"

"She's his daughter," Bella confirmed.

"He's a good man," Charlie said as they pulled up to the gas station.

He stepped out, and Bella sat back. She examined her fingers and fiddled with them restlessly as she remembered the conversation she'd had with Jake on the beach. It was sad to think that anyone in La Push was struggling with addiction. Everyone she'd spoken to there had been incredibly kind to her.

A sudden thought nagged at Bella. Was she a bad person for harboring the desire to meet Paul and find out with kind of person he was even though she was completely turned off by the thought of him being into drugs? It seemed so shallow to pursue her interest despite the massive issue - it was a terrible idea to enter a relationship with the desire to change one's partner.

Charlie climbed in, and they were back on the road when Bella realized that there wasn't anything to backup Jacob's claim. He'd even told her that he was just repeating rumors. If anyone had answers about any lawbreaking in the area, it would be Charlie. Bella deliberated for a moment about how to bring it up. She settled on the direct approach.

"Hey, dad. Are there any, um, drug-related problems in La Push?"

Her line of question visibly surprised him. "Not that I'm aware of - what's brought this on?"

"Just something Jake said." Bella shrugged, unable to meet his gaze, and Charlie sighed.

"Ah, he's told you about Sam and those boys?"

"So it's true? I thought you said there weren't any drugs there." Disappointment churned in her gut.

"I did. Sam's got a bad rep, Lord knows why, but he's never been in trouble with the law. Don't know much about the other two but I've met Mr. Lahote - what's his boy's name?" Charlie snapped his finger until he found the name. "Paul or something like that - good man; he used to be a deputy in La Push. Retired now, though."

"Really? Isn't he a bit young to be retired? Paul appeared to be around my age." Bella frowned.

"Poor guy got mauled by a bear about a year ago. It's amazing the guy's still breathing, let alone walking. Mind you, he uses a cane to get around these days," Charlie ran a hand over his face, and Bella notices how the headlights of passing cars made her father look decades older than he was.

"That's awful!" The attack must have been gruesome if the trauma still hampered Mr. Lahote's ability to walk. Bella had never seen the aftermath of an animal attack, but it couldn't be pretty. Paul's father must have scars - a constant reminder of the beast that had nearly killed him. Her heart went out to him. It couldn't have been easy.

"Yeah, there seem to be a lot of bear attacks around there," Charlie said with quiet speculation. He let out an explosive sigh, his frustration evident. "Never found the beast though."

Bella didn't miss his use of singular. "Do you think it's the one beast?"

"That's what the expert said," Charlie revealed, "The odd thing was that he couldn't pin down exactly what type of animal was behind the attacks. The prints we found when we searched the woods were unlike any bear tracks he'd ever seen - said they were canine looking."

"Could it be wolves?" Bella asked after a moment of silence. Her pulse had sped up at Charlie's admission. Whatever had attacked those people was likely still roaming free in the wood. How many unsuspecting hikers have wandered inside and come close to meeting it without being aware of its presence? She felt queasy at the thought. "I saw some paw prints outside Billy's during our last visit." Bella couldn't help wondering what would have happened if she hadn't seen them and kept going. Would she still be here today?

"You be careful around those woods, Bells. You hear me? There are plenty of creatures in there that could make a meal out of you," Charlie warned.

"But have there been any wolf attacks?" She needed an answer to the question.

"Naw, with claw marks the size of the ones I saw on Mr. Lahote, it could only be a bear. They were too big to be made by a wolf," he said grimly. "Besides, wolves don't use their claws; they bite their prey."

Bella hunkered down in her seat and wondered if she counted as prey.

* * *

Jacob was standing on the porch when they pulled up into their drive. They returned his wave and got out of the truck.

"They're here!" Jacob called inside and turned back to them with a smile. "Dad needs me to grab some, uh-" he apparently forgot what it was because he turned to shout inside again, "what was it you needed again, dad?"

"Salmonberry vinaigrette! And grab some paper towels while you're there, Jacob!" came Billy's voice. "Stop blocking the doorway and let them in!"

"Sure thing, pops!" Jacob laughed and jumped down from the porch. He clapped Charlie on the back in greeting. "Wanna join me, Bella?"

She didn't want to sit idle with her thoughts, so she took him up on his offer. "I think it's safer if I do. You'll probably come home with strawberry jam and toilet paper if we let you go alone," Bella said with wry amusement and Jacob pretended to pout.

"Best not to keep your dad waiting, Jacob," Charlie said before he went inside.

"C'mon, I'll drive." Jacob smiled, and they hopped into Billy's black truck. The car was equipped with manual controls that catered to Billy's needs and the drive to the store was laughably short. Jacob looked over at her and drawled. "How's life?"

"Hectic," Bella answered truthfully. Her mind was still reeling after Charlie's revelation, but she wasn't aware of the pinch forming between her brows that gave away her worry. Jacob raised his eyebrows and evidently thought Bella was in need of a dose of humor. He pulled up in front of the store and turned off the engine.

"Ok, we need a plan of action." He faced her with a grimness that took her by surprise.

"What is this? Mission impossible?" Bella's face twisted with bewildered amusement. "I thought we were going shopping?"

"I take my grocery shopping very seriously, Bella." Jacob's eyes glimmered with mirth, and he flipped his long hair theatrically. "I can't risk you blowing this operation if your mind isn't in the game."

Bella caught on and schooled her face. "I'm sorry. What's the plan, boss?"

"That's the spirit. We'll split up to cover more ground - I'll scout the vinaigrette, and you track down the napkins. Capiche?" He pointed his finger at her.

"Got it. I won't disappoint you." Bella nodded with such a severe expression that Jacob broke character when he couldn't suppress his grin.

They jumped out of the car and walked inside. The bell rang when Jacob pushed the door open, and the girl sitting behind the counter looked up from her book.

"Hey, Jake," she greeted, and Jacob automatically headed towards her.

"Hey, Patricia." They were most likely in the same grade, but Bella was on a mission. She wasn't in the mood to hang around while they exchanged pleasantries. School - and Edward - had exhausted her and her human-interaction meter for the day had reached its limit.

"What kind of napkins, boss?" she asked Jacob quickly.

"One of those white paper towels on a roll." Jacob gave her a thumbs up as she backed away, heading deeper into the store.

It was much smaller than the one in Forks, but they still had a decent variety. Bella walked past a display of a large lawn mower that was sitting on one of the metal shelves. The isles were narrow, and she searched high and low for the frustratingly elusive napkins. She had to circle the paper product section three times before she finally found them. It seemed like fate wasn't on Bella's side today because the paper towels were on the top shelf and this time there was no stepping stool in sight for her to use. Bella tried jumping at first, and her fingers nudged the packet but ultimately pushed it back and out of sight. She landed with a frustrated huff and backed away, going up onto the tips of her toes to see how far back she'd accidentally pushed it. The packet was up against the wall now, and there was no way she could reach it.

Bella could feel it mocking her.

The shelves were sturdy - the lawn mower could attest to that and Bella hardly weighed as much as that monstrosity. To be on the cautious side, she tried to give the structure a little shake and was satisfied when it didn't budge. Bella felt a thrill when she heaved herself up. She took great care of watching where she put her feet, remembering the last time she tried to reach for something inside a grocery store. It was much easier to climb instead of stretching up after an object since her weight was more evenly distributed. Or at least that's what she thought. Bella was almost to the top and rested her right arm on the highest shelf. The paper towels were in sight, and she went on her toes to gain another inch, reaching her left hand toward them.

Almost there.

She started to slip.

 _Almost-_

"Need a hand there, short-stuff?"

Someone grabbed hold of her thighs and lifted her up like they were doing a cheerleader routine. Bella lurched forward with a yelp but caught hold of the paper towels when her face pressed into the plastic wrap. She pulled back, and the hand on her butt steadied her.

"You better get your hands off my ass, Jacob Black," Bella bit out and froze when he let out a bark of laughter. That was _not_ Jake. She peered down and saw that it was Paul. Her eyes widened as her brain short-circuited, and he smirked up at her.

"You got a hold of it?" Paul asked her and Bella nodded mutely. To his credit, his hands didn't linger, and he lowered her effortlessly to the ground. Bella swayed as her feet touched the floor and he steadied her. The heat of his palms melted through the fabric of her shirt and warmed her skin. Bella felt a blush crawl up her cheeks.

He let go of her but didn't seem inclined to move back.

She blinked and gripped the packet of paper towels to her chest as she tried to register the fact that she was standing face to face with Paul Lahote — the same guy she couldn't seem to get off her mind. He was just as attractive as Bella had predicted, even in the unflattering lighting that seemed to be universal to grocery stores around the country. She couldn't help but admire his high cheekbones and the sharp ridge of his nose now that she was up close.

It was his eyes that got her.

They were a rich brown, like tiger's eyes, and it was astonishing to Bella how beautiful they were, having always thought her own brown eyes to be rather dull. His gaze was intense, and she felt a thrill run through her as she bore the entirety of his attention. She noticed that he was wearing a shirt for once, a black t-shirt to be exact. His shoulders were broad, and Bella absently noted how fit he looked.

Paul was unfairly hot for a guy wearing jorts and sandals.

"You're catching flies," he said with a self-satisfied smirk, and Bella snapped her slackened mouth closed.

"Thanks for the help," she said begrudgingly, humiliated at having been caught ogling him.

"You're welcome," he said and extended his hand for her to take. "Paul Lahote, at your service."

"Hi." Bella fumbled with her bounty and took his hand. His palm engulfed her slender hand, and he shook it with exaggerated slowness. Her brows raised at the furnace-like heat Paul radiated and wondered if her chronically chilled hands felt like the ones of a cold corpse to him. He didn't seem to mind and was looking at her expectantly. She realized she hadn't introduced herself and stumbled over her words. "Bella. I'm Bella Swan."

His warmth lingered when they let go, and Bella curled her fist to her chest, trying to savor the heat.

"So, does Jake touch your ass a lot, Bella?" he asked out of nowhere, and Bella wanted to sink through the floor. Her face burned red as her blush increased.

"What? No!" she sputtered.

"Hey, I had to ask." He shrugged, and his raised brow told her he was jesting. "It's not every day a cute girl gets me mixed up with a pipsqueak like Jake."

"Cute?" Bella drew up a blank at how to respond and repeated the word, her mind latching onto it. Paul thought she was cute.

"Hell, yeah." He nodded, eyeing her shamelessly.

Bella stared at him. She'd never met anyone this brazen. "Thanks?" It came out as more of a question and Paul evidently found it amusing because his stupid smirk widened.

"You're welcome."

Bella was woefully inept at flirtation - Paul was undoubtedly hitting on her, even a dense girl like her could see that - and tried to gain some control over the conversation. "Aren't you cold?" she blurted the first thing that popped into her mind.

 _Real smooth, Bella_.

"I'm hot," Paul said, and Bella couldn't help but laugh at how corny the line was. This turn of events was far beyond anything she'd imagined happening for their first conversation. He appeared entirely at ease while she scrambled to find something to say.

"Bella, c'mon we're late!" It was Jacob. Her mind screamed at him to go away and let her have this moment. She widened her eyes at Jacob pointedly. Couldn't he see how important this was? He ignored her look and glared at Paul, looking ready to march over to them.

"Thanks for the help, Paul," Bella said, hoping to prevent the scene Jacob would undoubtedly make if he joined them. Paul didn't seem perturbed. Jacob was a pipsqueak in his eyes, as he'd worded it, and Bella couldn't help but agree. Paul looked like he could take care of himself in any fight, verbal or physical.

"I'll see you around, Bella," Paul told her and Bella liked the way her name sounded on his lips.

"Yeah, see you, Paul." She gave him a little wave before turning around and walked reluctantly over to Jacob in half a daze. Her heart fluttered inside her chest, and she squeezed the paper towels close in an attempt to calm it. Paul Lahote thought Isabella Swan was cute!

"What the hell was that, Bella? _'I'll see you around'_?" Jacob asked her in a hushed whisper. "I told you he's trouble. You shouldn't even have spoken to him!"

"Paul helped me reach those napkins, Jacob. He was nothing but polite to me." Bella scoffed, trying to suppress her annoyance.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you," Jacob grumbled, shooting a dark look over her head. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Paul was still standing in the same spot she'd left him in. His face displayed his annoyance at Jacob's interruption, but he switched gears when he noticed her looking. Paul grinned and returned the sloppy salute she'd given him that day in the rain before he turned on his heel and walking out of the store. He hadn't bought anything.

"You're overreacting," Bella said firmly, but Jacob looked like he was about to argue. She forced the paper towels into his chest. "I'm going to wait in the car."

Paul wasn't anywhere in sight when she made it out onto the parking lot, and Bella climbed up into Billy's truck and folded her arms across her chest. She was tempted to sulk at Jacob for having cut her time with Paul short, but the excitement of having spoken to him was too high. He'd called her cute! He had to be messing with her.

 _But what if he wasn't?_

Jacob joined her before she had time to analyze the exchange any further. He sighed and drove them to his house before speaking. "I just don't want you to get hurt. You're my friend, Bella."

Bella thawed and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "I know, Jake, but I'm a big girl. Try to dictate me again, and you'll regret it."

"Ouch, the girl's got claws," Jacob said, clutching his shoulders and stumbling out of the car. _Goofball_. Bella laughed, and they went inside to reveal their bounty.

"Hey, dad. We got everything you wanted," Jacob said, waving the grocery bag over his head when they entered the kitchen.

"Good," Billy said. He was sitting at the dining table with Charlie, his trademark hat absent for once. His long hair was tousled, and he bore a slightly frazzled look.

"Mind if I grab a beer, Bella?" Charlie asked. Bella shook her head, and he snagged the six-pack Billy had placed on the counter. "You want one, Billy?

"No, I'm good. I have an early meeting with the Council tomorrow," Billy said with a shake of his head.

"Oh, yeah?" Charlie sat down again and faced him. Jacob and Bella hovered by the kitchen counter, exchanging a glance when Billy exhaled wearily.

"We've been discussing mitigation plans again in case of a hazard." He gave a wan smile.

'Hazard?' Bella mouthed at Jacob, but he shook his head and looked away.

"Oh?" Charlie asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"Congress finally listened to our concerns about the high tides and rising Quileute River. They've set aside land for us on higher grounds, but it'll take us years to scrounge up the money we need to fund the move." Billy rubbed his forehead and Charlie lowered his beer with a nod of understanding. This didn't appear to be news to him.

"How bad are things looking?" he asked Bill quietly, shooting a glance at Bella who was listening with open curiosity.

"Our school is well within the inundation zone, and we're going to start running Tsunami drills. We can't be unprepared if it happens - it could wipe out an entire generation if it should happen during a school day. Two if you count the senior home that's down there as well."

"I didn't know things were this serious," Bella breathed. This was terrible - children were at risk!

"It's the politics that's making things so difficult," Billy agreed.

"I didn't know the tribe was still active," Bella admitted and flushed at how ignorant her statement sounded.

"The Quileute Tribe is a sovereign nation." Billy's tone had taken on an educational note, and Bella listened with rapt attention. "We make decisions on how best to balance community and tradition. We help protect our sacred and ceremonial areas including the preservation of historical artifacts."

"Billy here is the Chief," Charlie said in a small attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's Head Chairman Black to you, sir!" Billy laughed and slapped him on the back.

"I didn't know that," Bella admitted.

"That's enough politics for the day," Billy said, "Jacob, can you lay the table while I get this darned fish ready for eating?"

"I got you, pops."

"Can I help with anything?" Bella asked.

"Can you get me a lemon from the fridge?" Billy asked her as he backed from the table. Bella nodded but felt weird about rummaging through the contents of their fridge. It felt like a violation of their privacy in some way. Billy picked up on her discomfort.

"I trust you more with that fridge than Jacob! Feel free to act like you're at home, Bella. After all, you're family!" Billy laughed like he was enjoying a private joke. Jacob rolled his eyes at Bella.

Dinner was delicious; salmon and roasted potatoes accompanied the vinaigrette her and Jacob had bought. Desert was apple pie and whipped cream, courtesy of the Clearwaters.

"That was one heck of a meal," Charlie said, patting his belly with a sigh. Bella agreed. The shrewd light in Billy's eyes hadn't dimmed throughout the entire evening, and he paid more attention to Bella than she'd expected, asking her all kinds of questions. She did her best to answer them, but she feared that her face was stained a permanent red from all the attention she was receiving today.

"It might be good for you to meet more people your age," Billy said with a nod of encouragement. "There will be a barbecue here next weekend if you're interested in coming. There won't be a lot of people - only a couple of family friends. The Clearwaters will be there."

"Wait, there is?" Jacob asked through a mouthful of pie. His cheeks bulged comically, and Billy sent him a look of despair.

"Chew your food, Jacob. And yes - Sam's organizing it."

"As in Sam Uley?" Bella's interest was piqued. It was very likely that Paul would be there.

Billy nodded. "Of course, you're invited as well, Charlie," he said, and Charlie raised his beer can in salute. They turned their attention back to Bella. "What do you say, Bella? Are you interested in joining us?"

 _Did she want to spend an evening with Sam and Paul?_ Bella didn't have to think for long.

"Yes, I would be honored to."

* * *

 **A/N:** I do a lot of research for this story, and I want to tell you guys about a project called MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. The catastrophic events Billy describes in this chapter are a very real threat to the Quileute Tribe in La Push. The village is located at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, which is in a tsunami zone - an earthquake can demolish their community in less than 10 minutes and wipe out an entire generation of the Quileute people!

The mission is to secure the future of the Quileute tribe by moving the at-risk community to the safe zone as well as transferring the Quileute Tribal School to a safe area beyond tsunami zone and near emergency response center.

There has already been a flooding scare this year!

I urge you to learn more about the situation on mthg dot org!

 **Next chapter:** The gym teacher let Bella loose in class, and now she's sporting a black eye. Bella goes to Sam's barbeque and realizes that it's her birthday.


End file.
